Category: connection

My Wish for You by Linda Bullock

I love life and I enter into the joy of living. I enter into companionship with others, into cooperation with them. And I know that something within me reaches out and embraces the whole world. Something within me blesses everything it touches, brings life and happiness and joy to everyone. (Living the Science of Mind, pages 188-189)

This is my last article for the CSLT newsletter. Big changes are afoot, and the accompanying mixed emotions are floating around in my head.

I’m on record on our CSLT video saying that I came to find community and I found that and so much more. Pat Masters was in my first Foundations class taught by Reverend Donald Graves. What a gift to know Pat! I enjoyed the Services, especially the music of David Prouty. I have continued to learn from Science of Mind teachings.

Ernest Holmes says ALWAYS EXPECT THE GOOD. Have enthusiasm and, above all, have a consciousness of love. (SOM, page 184) Like my program of recovery, spiritual growth works best one day, one practice at a time.

The community of CSLT is significant to my spiritual growth. In early 2014 I was blessed to become a grandmother and moved parttime to Lake Havasu City for 5 years. I quickly found the local CSL and participated whenever in town.

I understand that in life Truth doesn’t change but so much else does. I am going to miss the people of CSLT, my fellow board members past and present, the practitioners, the musicians. Of course, streaming the services from a distance is possible, but that doesn’t give me the opportunity to smile and say Hello in person and give hugs. I will miss your sweet faces. If I have interacted with you since my time at CSLT, I hope I have been kind.

I know for CSLT leadership the strength and a willingness to be open to the varying needs of the community that may have not yet been expressed or nurtured. I know a dynamic time is ahead, that growth is being demonstrated. I know financial concerns are resolving.

I am releasing and letting go as we sing in Rickie Byers song. I have benefitted from ‘this or something better’ in my search for a new place to call home. I strive to be positive and use the spiritual tools I’ve learned. I know all will be well. I know the same for you.

From Roger Teel’s This Life is Joy, “… I see you as a Child of Light. I see you guided and directed by an inward Spirit that leads you unerringly on to the path that is just right for you. I see you strong and whole. I see you blessed and prospered. I see you courageous and confident. I see you capable and successful. I see you free from every limitation and all bondage of any kind. I see you as the spiritually perfect being that you truly are.”

–And so it is with love. Linda

Evolution Ongoing and Eternal by Chris Wheeler

”Through spiritual discernment, we see that we have within us a power which can overcome every obstacle in our experience and set us safe, satisfied and at peace healed, and prosperous in a new light and a new life.“ Ernest Holmes from (Your Aladdin’s Lamp by William H.D. Hornaday pg. 218

Science of Mind is the proof I needed to realize Religion has not stopped growing.

Once upon a time human beings were totally at the mercy of the elements, the earth and the heavens. We were in the process of learning and understanding the basics of survival.

There were things that we couldn’t reckon with: storms, floods and all sorts of disasters. Without any understanding of the mechanics and causes of things we experimented with ideas relating to the supernatural. If we did not have the power over these forces maybe someone or something did. Then there were all sorts of deities to be experimented with.

Time went on and our understanding grew. We understood that we have an effect on the world, and we can change certain aspects of our environment increasing our chances of survival.

We were having a bit of success with things around us. Our tribes were turning villages, villages into cities, cities into empires. Then monarchs were often given total power because any deity(s) involved must be on our side because we won. And this person must have a connection to the deity because we won … so the leader gets total power. And So It Goes…..

But our concept of God has been evolving along with our ability to comprehend increasingly complex systems.

We now have new information thanks to Ernest Holmes because of his attention to all religions. As our knowledge and understanding has increased, this new thought also coincides with our scientific knowledge. Our understanding of the universe (multiverse) has been realigned with an increased understanding of God and new laws that align with our understanding of God.

“Consequently, evolution is an eternal unfoldment of the more yet to be.” Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind Text – 44.1

We now have an increasing ability to influence and change our reality like never before. We will continue to evolve and gain a better understanding of the unknown. Leading us to an ever-increasing connection to God.

–Chris Wheeler

LIFE’S COAT by Rev. Rhoni

Imagine the universe beautiful and just and perfect. Then be sure of one thing: the Is has imagined it quite a bit better than you have– Richard Bach

Recently Charles and I took some time off, and traveled to Durango, Colorado for my brief break away from Sunday. We explored galleries, and wineries, and walked the historic downtown area. Our two dogs, Ambrose and Ralphie were also included in our family adventure. It was the perfect few days of a “rocky mountain high.”

I have found in ministry; you never really get “time off.” It is part of the soul contract I believe when I decided to take my place in this human experience. Off and on during my time away I thought about what I wanted to “teach.” April’s theme is, “Coming into Life Again.” I received two books from Spirit during my contemplation. Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and Paths to Recovery (Al-Anon’s steps.) I usually become concerned when I receive two “nudges” out of the blue, both appear to be repeating the same information pointing me towards something to do or be aware of. By the “third nudge” its intent is to get my attention, because things are about to change and, in my experience, you do not really want to experience that “third tap” because things are going to get real.

This time it has been “gentler”, and I loved revisiting both books. I read Jonathan Seagull when I was a teenager, and the Al-Anon Recovery book was my guide and anchor during my marriage to my former husband who passed due to congested heart failure and alcoholism. Both with their wisdom go together nicely and will probably show up in my talks this month. However, I have kept alert of there being a “third” book or other for me to pay attention to. I asked the question, “Is this all that I need to know?” A few days later, I received my third nudge.

As I am going through files in my home office looking for my copy of the Easter service, I want to share with all of you this year, IT appeared. It is a poem I wrote many years ago when I was in the middle of Practitioner training. I can remember the feeling of writing it, because I felt different. Something had shifted in my heart and was affecting me deeply. The gift is, after reading it again, I discovered a perspective of, when we enter our spiritual path, we have no idea where it will lead us. I can declare with a grateful heart I am grateful for every experience I receive. Life is a coat of many colors and experiences and this as my “third nudge” I would like to share with all of you.

Life’s Coat

It happened over night it seemed a change was in the air,

I reached first for my sweater, but alas it was not there.

So, I went to my hallway closet, where I knew my old coat hung,

But for some unknown reason, it looked a little different hanging on the rung.

I took it out and tried it on and found it did not fit!

How could this be? I thought and fumed, now this really got me ticked.

But as I took a longer look, my coats parts summed up my life.

Each piece connected one by one, told the story of my strife.

The cloth it was made of was my shield from really living.

The shoulders bore my burdens, though I felt I was forgiving.

Each sleeve displayed my heart that I allowed to be unprotected.

The pockets were where I stuffed the things I loved and neglected.

The lapels were where I displayed, the courage I thought I had,

And the fact no one was close to me, my heart was deeply sad.

As long as my coat stayed buttoned, I knew I could still hide.

However, the hem was a giveaway, unraveling daily, along with my pride.

It was then that the thought struck me, I could put this old coat away.

Never to be taken out again, not even on a rainy day.

The coat had many colors, which up close I could not see.

Ribbons of harmonious perfection bounced back as a mirror, taunting me.

So, I changed my thinking and changed my life,

Putting that old coat back on the pole.

I happily chose another one, this time not for my body, but my soul.

-Namaste with love, Rev. Rhoni

Gratitude. Good for the Soul. Good For the Whole Person. By Chris Wheeler

I am grateful because I cultivate gratitude.

Gratitude can be the pathway to stability in my outlook on life.

Biologically our brains focus on contrast and possible negative consequences because our primal selves want survival. Negativity is a natural tendency that very often can end in despair.

Gratitude helps me focus on the things and situations that contribute to my well-being.

Consciously we are aware of less than .01% of the sensory cells being activated each second. Normally this is a good thing – if we were suddenly aware of all of the different things touching our body, smells reaching our nose, tastes lingering on our tongue, sounds hitting our eardrums and light-rays entering our eyes all at once, we would go into overload and be unable to focus.

Sometimes it’s good to suspend the filter and increase awareness.

The next time you are eating delicious food, take a moment to close your eyes, focus on the pleasant sensations being generated in your mouth, and be grateful for 1) your tongue, 2) the food or both. Doing this not only makes me grateful and happy – it makes my food taste much better.

The next time you are listening to a favorite song, focus on the beautiful combination of sounds, and be grateful for 1) your ears, 2) the music, or both. Remember the emotions you experienced the first few times you listened to a favorite song? This can help you reclaim that initial joy.

The scope of gratitude can expand exponentially.

I have placed “Gratitude Rain Showers” on my to-do list because it gives me the opportunity to practice gratitude as free flowing consciousness. This once-a-month event (the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:30 on CSLT Zoom channel, email office for Zoom information) is a great way to start regular practice of listing gratitudes.

Nurturing a heart that is full of gratitude I find it easier to interpret my world as a place of unlimited potential and good. I prefer to live in the world I intend to live in rather than a world of pessimism.

God created ALL Things. Who am I to judge God’s results.

–Chris Wheeler

Here Now by Chris Wheeler

One concept that resonates with me is that religion evolves over time. That it is a process that humans have adopted and curated for many reasons. I wanted to recognize the role mass communications is playing in the process. In my quest for material to present in this article I have stumbled onto new wisdom to include in my philosophy. I have shared that as part of the piece.

As human societies have become more complex, religious ideas have continued to evolve and diversify. Today, there is a wide range of religious beliefs and practices around the world, reflecting the ongoing evolution of religious ideas in response to changing social, cultural, and intellectual contexts.*

Today with the 21st century well underway. Computing continues to accelerate. The world has gotten closer than ever before. There are human beings circling the entire globe every 90 – 92 minutes. Our communications can operate at the speed of light and an ever-increasing number of people are gaining the ability to communicate from wherever they are. Information is flowing at an astounding rate. Life continually presents opportunities for growth and transformation.

This globalization is opening the door for spiritual practices from around the world to mix and merge. Online spiritual communities are connecting people who are sharing spiritual experiences. This is allowing for hybrid practices to develop.

The process of Humanity continues.

“ Source is everything and inherently includes everything. It is magical and messy; heartwarming and heartbreaking; delightful and disappointing; filled with grace and grief; exquisite and excruciating, often at the exact same time. Embracing the great fullness of life asks us to attend to everything that is present, everything that shows up unexpectedly, and even everything we might be inclined to push away.”

“Acknowledging, accepting, and heeding all experiences allows us to learn, grow, see opportunities, and move toward greater empathy, agency, and possibility for ourselves and others. From everything fully seen and acknowledged, we can seek gratefulness and gain wisdom. As life invariably reminds us, it is often precisely from that which is most difficult that we are cleared out for some new delight.” Excepted from the article: Embracing The Great Fullness of Life by Kristi Nelson at Gratitude.org

It is unwise to attempt to stuff the unwelcome aspects of life — ours or others — behind closed doors without an eventual equalization. Life is too big, too mysterious, too much beyond our choosing and our control to compartmentalize.

Forces far greater than us are at work, and the results — while not necessarily “in our name” — belong to us and our interconnected world, nonetheless. Oppression. Degradation. Injustice. Violence.

Keeping our eyes wide open to see all that there is to see and accepting what is in our line of sight liberates us to better act and respond with agency.

To accept that something is true does not mean that it is acceptable.

We can perhaps only respond most effectively once we fully see and take into our hearts what is actually happening. Valuable energy and creativity can be lost in resisting what is actually “so” — energy that might be used in more empowered ways if we practice making room for holding the whole truth. What is happening is happening regardless of what we think about it, and our response is often the only thing over which we have control. The more we are in touch with the actual great fullness of life, the more we can respond with great fullness of heart.

Sources for this article: Article: Embracing The Great Fullness of Life by Kristi Nelson https://grateful.org/?s=kristi+nelson&swpmfe=e797ad6e7e8b736f3495d57dbc21a607

I use the LLM (Large Language Model, AI) “PERPLEXITY”. Perplexity cites its sources.

One of the first articles I discovered for this piece was one written by Google’s AI Gemini. I have included a link. I was fascinated. Google Gemini Article.

-Chris Wheeler

Editor’s note: I agree with Chris, this AI created article is absolutely intriguing.

A New Way of Thinking by Linda Bullock

Tamara Morrison illustration

“I am an old man. I’ve had many problems, most of which never happened.”  Attributed to Mark Twain.

“I now accept all that I have hoped for and believed in. There is nothing in me that can doubt that good will make its appearance in my experience.”   The Essential Ernest Holmes, p. 124

About 29 years ago, I became engaged to my now husband. I was very anxious about getting married again. I focused on a myriad of possible negative outcomes in our future relationship. I was obsessed with “what ifs.” I shared these feelings with my sponsor from 12 step meetings. She gently reminded me that it’s not about assurance of possible experiences in my marriage; that I needed to use my faith in my Higher Power to know that no matter what occurs (conditions) that I would get what I needed to get through and be okay. She further reminded me that because of our fellowship, I would not have to go through events alone unless I chose to.

At the time I wasn’t familiar with Science of Mind teachings but recognized the truth of my friend’s statement. And such has been my experience. I was raised with a fundamentalist belief that stressed sin and punishment. I literally had trouble believing in a God that loved me unconditionally. I didn’t believe that life was supposed to be happy. I experienced shame and guilt without any sense of forgiveness. It took a lot of work to release the selfcondemnation and shift to a consciousness of a loving God. I’m grateful that I hung around New Thought teachings until this shift happened.

According to Ernest Holmes, “One cannot be a good student of the Science of Mind who is filled with fear and confusion… We suffer because we are not in both conscious and subjective communication with the affirmative side of the Universe… There is nothing in the Universe that denies the right to be happy, if our happiness does not deny or interfere with the general good.” (SOM, pages 160-161)

I now use affirmations and affirmative prayer to override old religious ideas. I have learned that it’s not how I feel but what I do that determines the quality of my life. A daily spiritual practice is the solution. I am usually aware of when I am entertaining negative thoughts and endeavor to release them. Anxiety based on fear is a useless emotion. Today I can choose to be happy. One day at a time.

“You’re not the limited, anxious person you think you are…really, you’re the very heart of compassion, completely aware, and fully capable of achieving the greatest good, not only for yourself, but for everyone and everything you can imagine.” (Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, The Joy of Living)

~Wishing peace and many blessings to all, Linda

God and Grace Endure By Rev. Rhoni Tretsven

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Shift and change are part of our human experience as a soul here on this earthly plane. Many of us anticipate change when we flip over the calendar and see not just the month has changed but the numbers representing the year we are now entering. I have often stared at that blank January page and then quickly flipped through the rest of the pages, wondering what events will shift and change within me, not just my existence of what I name as a life lived. Beginning the new year I have written promises to myself, resolutions and half of them already are up for renegotiation. I have experienced a change in leadership not just nationally, but locally and set the intention to trust the process of these changes. When my life has felt uncomfortable, it is because I know there is a transformation that is wanting to give birth to a new idea, or a new lens of life to look through and be a witness to. All too often I know each of us has felt that uncomfortable and painful poke of what is trying to emerge, through us as us. Instead of pushing it away or down and saying to myself, “not now I’m not ready” Unconditional love of Spirit/God initiates the process of, “oh yes you are.” This is when we surrender and open our hearts and truly sense the reality of God. The unseen in the seen, love. All that is transposing, transforming, and transitioning for my highest good and yours as well. God’s grace endures.

One of my “teachers”, philosopher Paul Tillich said, “Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness. It strikes us when we walk through the dark valley of a meaningless and empty life. It strikes us when we feel that our separation is deeper than usual, because we have violated another life, a life which we loved, or from which we were estranged. It strikes us when our disgust for our own being, our indifference, our weakness, our hostility, and our lack of direction and composure have become intolerable to us. It strikes us when, year after year, the longed-for perfection of life does not appear, when the old compulsions reign within us as they have for decades, when despair destroys all joy and courage.”

The essence and great power of love I will name as God is always for us and never against us. Grace is a good and God thing when it strikes us. Grace is our continual conversation with It. Grace strikes us in multiple ways but the easiest is to simply embrace God’s acceptance of us. Each one of us IS accepted as a soul and as a continual presence of how God receives us unconditionally. God does not withhold acceptance, It is I, until some moment when I finally change in some way. God accepts and loves me right where I am, now, and It is the love that continues so that I may lean into it, rest if I have to, and begin again.

“Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness, and it is as though a voice were saying, ‘You are accepted. You are accepted, accepted by that which you do not know. Do not ask for the name now; perhaps you will find it later. Do not try to do anything now, perhaps later you will do much. Do not seek for anything; do not perform anything; do not intend anything. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted!’ If that happens to us, we experience grace. After such an experience we may not be better than before, and we may not believe more than before. But everything is transformed” *

I ask that we all take a few moments this week to be in the silence and allow Spirit/God to speak through us and take/receive a spiritual inventory of our conditions for a life well lived. To breathe and breathe into our life and the possibilities ever before us.

For Reflection:

• How have you experienced God’s gracious presence in this difficult year?

• When you thought you were separated from it, how did it show up for you as love?

• How has God/Spirit shown up?

• What have you experienced, or what has been demonstrated that you always know God is in and through you?

• Why not talk honestly with God about anything in our life, you can talk to God and It will always give you an answer.

Thank you for all that you are, and all that you are becoming.

*Paul Tillich, philosopher

In gratitude and love, Rev. Rhoni

My Beloved CSLT by Rev. Rhoni Tretsven

My Beloved CSLT,

Thank you for this gift, this opportunity to grow with you as not just your minister but as a spiritual being like you. I am truly grateful for all the shifts and changes this past year we have created and will continue to do more I am sure in 2025. As a spiritual community we are embarking on an infinite journey of love and learning together, and I am very excited for us. Wherever you are today, please know you are loved, and a light that shines in this world. My wish for you and our community is peace and infinite expanding love. My heart is full. May you continue to unwrap the gift that you are. Christmas was always a special time because as a child I always enjoyed the stories that were read at Christmas. Today, I wish to share with you a very special story, from my heart to yours…….

From the very beginning of time, there was a promise and a hope that there would be one who would come, who would show the way.

One who would be a light in the darkness, who would be inseparable from the Creator and, by their very being, would express the Truth of human existence.

It had been prophesied from times of old that there would be a child born who would rightfully inherit the kingdom.

One who, by their very nature, would bring Peace, Balance, Harmony, Tranquility and Serenity to this world and all whom they encountered. The world yearned for this coming, the birth of this child, the fulfilled promise. All the earth and heavens yearned for the coming of this child. Wisemen foretold and saw the signs in the heavens, for, indeed, it was to come to pass that a child would be born.

A holy child filled with knowledge, a child filled with love and understanding, one worthy of inheriting the kingdom on this earth. One whom by their very being would bring Love, and by their very existence would bring understanding of who they truly are and where they truly dwell.

The world and even the heavens yearned for the birth of this child, the Christ child, for the universe would not be complete, nor would the world ever be the same again. So, it came to pass in the perfection and fulfillment of time that this child was brought forth into the world.

This child was announced by the angels of heaven that the fulfilled promise had come, for God had become humanity. A new star appeared in the heavens, for a great soul, a teacher, had been born into this world.

And then, in the innocence and wonder of this new experience, YOU took your very first breath.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanza dear ones.

Namaste, I love you, and so it is…Amen. Rev. Rhoni

Peace be Unto Thee, Stranger by Sharon Whealy, RScP

Peace be unto thee, stranger, enter and be not afraid. I have left the gate open and thou art welcome in my home. There is room in my house for all. I have swept the hearth and lighted the fire. The room is warm and cheerful, and you will find comfort and rest within The table is laid, and the fruits of Life are spread before thee. The wine is here also, it sparkles in the light. I have set a chair for you where the sunbeams dance through the shade. Sit and rest and refresh your soul. Eat of the fruit and drink of the wine. All, all is yours, and you are welcome. Ernest Holmes

This invitation is found on the dedication page of The Science of Mind. Years ago, when I “discovered” the welcome, I printed and framed it. It currently hangs on my refrigerator, as a reminder that Spirit is always home, the table is laid with the abundance of the Universe, and that I am always welcome. All I need do is accept the invitation.

I also read this on a human level – is my gate open, am I welcoming, is there room for all? Am I sharing my abundance and making my home a place of renewal, so that our souls may be refreshed? Or am I guarded, protecting what’s “mine”? How often do I close myself off to those who might make me uncomfortable?

When we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate the love, the light, and the peace of the season and I often hear reminders that this Love, Light, and Peace is available year-round. Can we hold compassion in our hearts and minds for everyone, regardless of if they look, believe, or celebrate as we do?

This year, Hanukkah is December 25 through January 2nd. This eight-day celebration honors the miracle of abundance and never-ending light. God is always with us, providing what we need, without hesitation or limitation.

Kwanza, the African American celebration of family, community, and connection, is celebrated December 25 through January 1st this year. As we honor this tradition, this year can we be inclusive in our definition of family, can we expand our community? Let us celebrate the connection we have with one another.

This is my holiday blessing for the season and the year to come,
May we welcome the stranger with open hearts and minds.
May we be the Love and Peace of the season, allowing it to radiate into the world.
May we honor the Light that dwells within each one of us, and express gratitude for the neverending flow of good.
May we celebrate the connection of family and community as a reminder we are never alone.
May we be blessed with knowing all is well, and all will be well.
God is Good, all the time!

–Sharon Whealy, RScP

Exciting News! from Chris Wheeler

This Sunday, we explored an incredible opportunity at the Annual Meeting—one that could truly transform our community. We have the chance to rent space on the beautiful Camino Blanco campus, which includes a sanctuary, adjoining areas, and oCice space. The best part? It’s within reach financially for us!

This move isn’t just about a new location. It’s about the future of New Thought in southern Arizona. Think about it: a dedicated home for us to expand, connect, and thrive, surrounded by others who understand and support the New Thought philosophy. It’s a space that could become our launching pad for growth, deeper connections, and a place where we can contribute even more to our community and beyond.

Where we are now has served us well—small congregations like ours excel at fostering close, caring, authentic relationships. We know each other deeply, and that’s something special. But, when we called our minister, we said we wanted more. We wanted to grow, to reach a larger community, and to spread the transformative philosophy of Religious Science. Our 2024 vision statement says it perfectly: “Open and Expanding into the Mystery…” This potential new home aligns perfectly with that vision.

But here’s the challenge we’re facing: we’ve been in “maintenance mode.” This happens when a church focuses on keeping things as they are, rather than growing and taking risks. It feels comfortable, but it keeps us stuck. If we want to break free from that, we need to make bold moves. We need to position ourselves for growth.

Rev. Robert T. Latham, in *Moving on from Church Folly Lane*, explains that staying in maintenance mode means prioritizing the status quo, avoiding risks, and limiting our vision. And sure, we feel safe that way—but are we really fulfilling our potential? I believe *we’re called to do more*.

So, why is it so important to expand the philosophy of Religious Science? For me, this hits deeply. I’ve had my share of reservations about traditional organized religion. But what makes Religious Science diCerent is its openness—it’s a philosophy that’s always evolving, always ready to embrace new truths. As Ernest Holmes said, it’s “open at the top.” It’s not about rigid doctrines; it’s about continuous growth and learning. That’s a powerful mission, and I want to see New Thought reach more people and create a larger community of likeminded souls.

So, how do we make that happen? The Camino Blanco space solves the very catch-22 we’ve been stuck in: we need more space to grow, but we need to grow to get more space. This move gives us the room to expand and the visibility to welcome new people into our community.

Imagine what we could achieve with a permanent, recognizable location. More space means more opportunities to share the life-changing teachings of Science of Mind. It means we can create new relationships, support each other’s growth, and contribute to a world that’s ready for this transformative philosophy.

This move is more than just a rental. It’s a steppingstone toward the future we’ve envisioned. A future where our thoughts, beliefs, and intentions align with the spiritual principles we hold dear, and where we grow together into a larger, more connected community.

Let’s be bold. Let’s embrace this opportunity and step into the growth we’ve been dreaming of.

Are you ready?

–Chris Wheeler

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