Category: practice

Giving Peace a Real Chance in 2025 by Rev. Sue Oliver

This week’s theme is based on John Lennon and the Plastic Ono band’s iconic song “Give Peace a Chance,” sung in 1969 as a Vietnam war anthem (their YouTube video). The song’s main lyrics “All we are saying is give peace a chance” are even more relevant and important today than they were back then. These days, the internet, social media, and various channels predominantly broadcast the bad news – conflicts, wars, and other crises in the world, such that peace can seem like an everdistant dream or fairy tale. Yet, spiritual wisdom and our own experiences as metaphysicians remind us of the great news: peace doesn’t start on the world stage – it begins within. In Religious Science, we speak of a “world that works for all” – one that is ever emerging and evolving, despite appearances to the contrary.

Although I can and do experience various human emotions, such as fear, doubt, worry, anger, sadness, and others, in reaction to events in my life and around the globe, there is always an inherent peace at the center of my being, my true identity. Even when I feel irritated when someone cuts me off in traffic or outraged at some injustice in another country or our own, peace is still a possibility for me to choose…or not.

Ernest Holmes wrote, “Peace stands at the door of your consciousness and awaits your acceptance of It.” (Holmes Reader on Change, p.59) Thus, we do not need to chase peace, as it is present and available in, though, and as each of us – here, now, and always. Similarly, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh taught, “Peace is present right here and now… every breath we take, every step we take, can be filled with peace.” (Peace Is Every Step) Our task is not to search for peace, but to wake up to it, moment by moment.

Well, to be honest, I frequently fall asleep at the consciousness wheel and forget this spiritual truth for myself and others. So, I don’t always give peace a chance in my own life, let alone in the world. Holmes reminds us that “even one individual grounded in peace can uplift a group caught in conflict.” (Science of Mind Magazine, 1955) This is the ripple effect of spiritual practice and the power of a spiritual community like CSL Tucson, where we can remind each other of our divine identity that is peace, love, prosperity, and so much more.

So, how do we respond, instead of reacting, to the dissonance and challenges that we might experience in today’s world? How do we know and affirm a peaceful world that works for all, even when it can seem so futile?

We can start right where we are, with even the smallest of peaceful thoughts and actions: spending a few minutes each day in meditation and affirmative prayer, speaking words of peace instead of criticism, choosing to see others – even the most difficult ones – as expressions of the Divine, sharing a smile, offering a random act of kindness, and, of course, participating in the CSL Tucson community. These actions are not trivial – they are the real work of spiritual peacemaking that feeds and waters a world that works for all.

Let this be our affirmation and action: Peace begins with me. Peace moves in me, through me, and as me, into the world. I am giving peace a real chance today. And so it is!

–Rev. Sue Oliver

We Are All…. by Mariann Moery

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Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing is a field. I will meet you there. — Rumi

 

 

 

I don’t know where your political, mental, spiritual or emotional energies are now, but for many of us it’s all a whirling haboob bringing nothing but hot wind and wtf [whiskey tango foxtrot (: )] . Doesn’t matter where we stand, sit or fall.

So, for me, it is time to return to one of the most amazing stories of reclamation and love triumphant that I have ever had the great gift of knowing about.

Father Gregory Boyle, Jesuit priest, has spent the last 30 years creating and building one of the most successful street “ministries” ever. HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES is the largest gang intervention program…in the world. Thousands transformed – hundreds buried. Homeboy Industries has grown to include multiple businesses all run by homies who have found their way there. (Homies is the preferred term now – since there is no gender exclusion.) Father Boyle, or “G” as he is known mostly has baptized many in prison, some more than once. Once they are part of this, they remain so – a fall from ‘grace’ simply means a delay in being welcomed back ‘home’.

Homeboy’s only and unwavering principles:

We are ALL unshakably good – no exceptions.

We belong to each other – no exceptions.

Why is it that the simpler the rule, the harder it is to actually follow?

Father Boyle’s books are available through Abebooks.com, Stacks Books, and likely, Bookmans locally, as well as Amazon. Maybe Tattoos on the Heart is already on your own bookshelf. His latest, Cherished Belonging, is a fine place to start but they are all worth a read and the realization that the most amazing things are indeed possible.

I periodically try to remember that we are all living essences of God and despite actions to the contrary, that is the actual Truth. My experience is quite mixed. The more separate the ones identified as “transgressor” are from my world, the easier they are to accept and love.

However, when the “transgression’ happens on my turf: physical, emotional, mental – well, my response tends to be guided with a lot that happens on the lower end of Life choices.

Because it is all by choice. True we have been trained not just in this life, but through centuries of “might makes right”, Manifest Destiny forever, and so on.

And, yet an alternate view of the rules above has been with us for just as long. From Jesus the Christ to Islam (which actually incorporates them) to say nothing of the Baháʼí.

We probably aren’t the mother in Cherished Belonging who while visiting her son in prison, waits for the guards to be momentarily distracted and then reaches into her bra and pulls the still warm burrito from his favorite store with the comment ‘it’s the special one’.

But we do all have those opportunities to share rather than glare. It usually is f’ing hard. From fear, from disdain, from simply not understanding.

If we start from a distance, it’s a start. Checks written, clothes donated, holiday meals served – but if we truly desire a better world – not just for thee and me – but for all. This is the best possible time to start. Everywhere.

It really is beautiful, and hard.

In Peace, Mariann

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. — Anne Frank

I Want to Live in Peace: Claiming My Right to Self-Determination by Chris Wheeler

In a world that often feels divided by politics, algorithms, and echo chambers, I find myself yearning for something simple and profound: peace. Not just the absence of conflict, but a deeper peace—a freedom to live authentically, to communicate my values without fear, and to participate in the ongoing progress of humankind.

Freedom to Express, Freedom to Forgive
I want to be able to speak my truth, whether or not it aligns with any group or ideology. True freedom means not being forced into silence or conformity. It means being able to share ideas, ask questions, and even make mistakes without the threat of persecution or retribution.

But freedom of speech is only part of the equation. I also want to improve my ability to forgive, even when forgiveness feels undeserved or difficult. Forgiveness isn’t always the obvious or easy choice, but I believe it’s essential for healing and moving forward—both personally and collectively. By practicing forgiveness, I can help break cycles of resentment and open doors to understanding.

Doing the Work of Inclusion and Humility
Inclusivity doesn’t happen by accident. It requires effort, empathy, and a willingness to listen. I want to do the work necessary to be inclusive, to recognize my own biases, and to make space for voices that have been marginalized or silenced. That means practicing humility—acknowledging that I don’t have all the answers and that every human being has inherent worth.

Rising Above the Noise
It’s easy to get swept up in the chaos and negativity amplified by social media algorithms. These digital forces often reward outrage and division, making it harder to see each other’s humanity. I want to rise above that noise. I want liberty and justice for ALL—not as slogans co-opted by partisan politics, but as real, lived values that guide our actions.

The Right to Learn and Dialogue
Education is a cornerstone of freedom. I want the ability to educate myself without censorship or ideological gatekeeping. I want safe, open dialogue where people can share ideas and experiences without fear of being attacked or ostracized. Progress depends on our willingness to listen, to question, and to grow together.

Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future
I don’t want to recreate some imagined “golden age” or demand adherence to any prescribed religion or philosophy. I want to learn from our shared history—the triumphs and the mistakes—so we can build something better. My actions, not just my beliefs, can be an agent of change.

Balancing Individual and Collective Rights
Personal freedom is essential, but it must be balanced with the rights and freedoms of others. Societies achieve this through laws, dialogue, and institutions that mediate conflicts and promote mutual respect. It’s not always easy, but it’s necessary if we want to live in peace.

My Commitment
I claim my right to self-determination. I commit to doing the hard work of inclusion, humility, and forgiveness. I will speak my truth, listen to others, and strive to be an agent of positive change. I want to participate in the progress of humankind—not as a bystander, but as an active, compassionate, and thoughtful citizen.

Let’s choose peace. Let’s choose understanding. Let’s choose liberty and justice for all.

–Chris Wheeler

From Me to We by Sharon Whealy, RScP

I have been resisting writing this week. I have been angry with the state of our nation. I am saddened to watch our elected officials vote to dismantle our government, take away the social safety nets so much of our nation relies on, threatening Social Security and Medicare that we have paid into all our working lives, all in favor of the billionaire class.

I feel helpless and hopeless as I watch everything we as a nation hold dear get dismantled. Gutting education, ignoring court rulings, deporting people without due process, and sending them to countries that are not their home, ignoring climate change, are but a few of my concerns. The lack of basic human decency, empathy, and integrity deeply saddens me.

In practitioner training, we were told if we were looking for something to pray about, look to the news. The news is overwhelming, and I can only take it in small doses, usually from my friends, Seth and Stephen, Jimmy K and Jimmy F, John O and Jon S. And yes, I pray. I know that under the mess and chaos; Spirit is evolving something new. I remind myself that systems need to be dismantled to be created anew, and this can be a painful and messy process.

I recently saw this quote from Fred Rogers, “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It is easy to say, ‘it’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”

As a white, heterosexual, cisgendered female, without children, who grew up in a middleclass neighborhood in southern California, I recognize my position of privilege. It is easy for me to look around and claim it’s not my problem; it’s not directly affecting me. The truth is that it is my problem; your children are my children, your community is my community, your world is my world. I then remind myself that problems are opportunities in disguise.

I am currently reading a book that I am finding very powerful. The author says that to fully practice wholeness, I have to turn my “me” work into “we” work. This echoes a recent three-week Laddership workshop examining the relationship of moving from me to we to us. True leadership asks me to look beyond my self-interests, to get out of my comfort zone, and look out into the world to find how I may be of service to my neighbors, be they next door, in the next state, or country. It is my opportunity to speak up and make a difference, no matter how small that difference may be. There is no big or small in Spirit.

As I figure out where my energies are best spent, I am grounded by the Centers for Spiritual Living’s Global Vision Statement. I am sharing three statements here:

• We envision all people, all beings, and all life as expressions of God.

• We envision a world where personal responsibility joins with social conscience in every area of political, corporate, academic, and social sectors, providing sustainable structures to further the emerging global consciousness.

• We envision a world where each and every person has enough food, a home, and a sense of belonging; a world of peace and harmony, enfranchisement, and justice.

–Sharon Whealy, RScP

 

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

Wherever you go…there you are by Mariann Moery

“When we go to a new place we shall find there only what we have taken with us. If we have taken success we will find success; if, on the other hand we have taken failure we will find failure. Ernest Holmes Creative Mind – 80.2

Or Friends. Or Loneliness. Or Pizza. Or Limitations.

Holmes first book: Creative Mind published originally in 1918 is amazingly clear and direct, expressing all the important tenets of Science of Mind largely unencumbered by any of the ideas or language contemporary to that time.

“We have missed the whole point, unless we have learned so to control our thought that time and place make no difference.” 21.4

C’est fait par du monde – lifting from Oliver Burkeman’s Meditations for Mortals (Day 27): Attributed to a French-Canadian grandmother, ..whenever a family member expressed overawed admiration for art, technology, anything, it roughly translates to- People did that.

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, spoken by Cassius to Brutus.

“The thing to do is to unify ourselves with the biggest ideas that we can compass; and realizing that our ideas govern our power of attraction, we should be constantly enlarging within ourselves.” Ernest Holmes Creative Mind – 81.1

“If you want to do a new thing, get a new thought and then you will have the power of attraction which has the possibility of drawing to you the circumstances which will make for the fulfillment of your desires. Get over the old idea of limitation. Overcome all precedents and set yourself in the new order of thing…..God has created you for a glorious future; dare to fling out into mind the greater assurances about yourself.” Creative Mind 62.1

And one last quote:

“The one who dares to fling thought out into Universal Intelligence, with the assurance of one who realizes their own divine nature and its relation to the Universe—and dares to claim all there is—will find an ever-creative good at hand… God will honor the request. To the soul that knows its own divinity, all else must gravitate. Let us , then, enlarge our thought processes and dare to think in Universal terms. Let us dare to believe that every constructive word is invincible.” Ernest Holmes: Science of Mind Text – 142.3

May we all dare and do.

–In Peace, Mariann

Transitions by Linda Bullock

Spirit understands adversity as opportunity. Spirit is able to work for the good in all things. As I encounter difficult transitions in which I doubt the good which is unfolding, I remind myself there is a higher plan in motion with which I can consciously cooperate. As I face my resistance to change, as I choose to align myself with events as they are unfolding, I find in my acceptance a sense of tranquility, a promise of safety. Change embraces me as I myself embrace change. Transitions: Prayers and Declarations for a Changing Life by Julia Cameron.

Sometimes difficult circumstances are the impetus for change. Such is life and in the midst of personal change I am relying on the promise of safety and occasional sense of tranquility. We are preparing to sell the house that has been our home for 24 years. I don’t want to focus yet on all the change this house has seen, the life changes retirement and health decline have brought, the 5 dogs and 3 cats no longer with us, the friends who enhanced our experiences. That will be part of my grieving, reliving the joy and the pain. There is work to be done now.

This is a time I need my faith to be strong and my physical strength to be sustained. There will be opportunities to assume more of the decision-making in the ongoing elements of a big move, to ensure safety for my husband and pet throughout, to plan and adjust to a new community which will be very different from our rural one.

This is a time when I need to release my reluctance to ask for help, to remember that I am part of the Living Spirit. Julia Cameron affirms on page 94; Today I place my trust in universal love. I open my heart to receive care and comfort from unexpected sources. I allow my good to come from many quarters. I surrender my fixed ideas as to what best serves me. I open to the innovative grace of my unfolding life.

This is a time to be grateful for new experiences, new conveniences, new relationships ahead. I am grateful that this move is our choice, not one necessitated by disaster. I am grateful that technology accommodates ease of ongoing communication with likeminded individuals despite physical distances. I am grateful for Science of Mind teachings that overcome fear and anxiety. I am grateful for the practice of affirmations, such as the following from Ernest Holmes in Creative Ideas, page 27.

Today I do affirm that I am divinely guided and that the Spirit goes before me and paves the way. There is that within which knows what to do and how to do it, and it compels me to act on what it knows.

I accept this guidance as now flowing forth into action through me. Therefore I shall do that which I should do, I shall know that which I need to know, I shall encounter those new ideas I need. With nonresistance and complete acceptance, I let the inward stream of life carry me safely and surely to the accomplishment of my every good purpose.

May all your transitions be peaceful.

–Love, Linda

A Pot of Gold Consciousness by Rev. Rhoni

“Yes, you can have it all!!” Was the “consciousness cry” of the 80’s for Religious Science. Many of us concentrated on manifesting partners, palaces and parking places. Manifesting our hearts desire, proof that the power of the mind and the Divine does in fact work. In the Christian dogma there is now the “Prosperity Gospel” (Abundance Good News). Something metaphysicians have always practiced. However, has this consciousness changed? I have been a lifetime member of Religious Science, and I have been a witness and a participant in all the metamorphosis our philosophy continues to experience. I have watched other faith traditions embrace what we already have as a spiritual practice, of knowing “It’s my good, and I ought to have it” said Emma Curtis-Hopkins with conviction.

In the face of our current existence, we are bombarded by the financial stability of our country. Which I understand for me is to also look at my prosperity consciousness. There is a revelation a foot. A mirror reflecting to me, do I feel impoverished in my life? Or do I feel full and accept everything and “all that I need comes to me?” Abundance consciousness is not about money, it is about how we live. Sure, money creates things to be easy and carefree, no worries etc., but what about the other facets of our lives?

Ernest Holmes said, God wills us to have everything. As we express life, we fulfill God’s law of abundance, but we do this only as we realize that there is good enough to go around-only as we know that all of God’s gifts are given as freely and fully as the air and the sunshine.

I understand it as most people, probably feel somewhat comfortable with their present beliefs, and might prefer to stay at the present level of consciousness and at the present level of life it provides, rather than spending the energy to change your consciousness, and our life. The question deep down is, “Do we want something more? To have a different experience of this life we have currently chosen? How about giving yourself permission to want a different experience and totally change it! Jacob Needleman a professor of mine while studying at the University of Philosophical Research said, Our modern world-view tragically misperceives and wrongly defines what it is to be human. We are conditioned by our society to believe happiness comes from pleasure, or from getting things or power over people or money or fame or even health and survival. None of these sometimes very good things can bring ultimate meaning to our lives. We are born to be deeply conscious, inwardly free and deeply capable of love. The longing for these things is the definition of what it means to be human. Yes, we are human. It is important to note, although it is nice to have material “things”, it is not our source or our supply. God-in-me is the Source and Substance of my highest good throughout my life experience. We are, prosperous as love as the Divine lives and breathes and has its being through me and you. Is it really about the material we want to live in? Or is it about our relationship with our Highest Source? When we live in the consciousness of abundance of our entire life, WILL BE THAT EXPERIENCE. Through our mind in action, we embrace the mantra, “God is my source, God is my supply.” When we live in that mind set, IT IS. This month I will be speaking each Sunday on the topic of abundance as we explore together what it really “feels” like to live in an abundant universe. I hope you will join us either on YouTube or in person at 11 am on Sundays.

–Namaste, Rev. Rhoni

It’s An Inside Job by Mariann Moery

It’s cyclical for me. Ups and Downs. Feeling the Spirit within and then not so much.

The lesson story of the difference between two stone masons: one was doing his job laying bricks and the other was building a cathedral…same/same but totally different.

We always succeed, so our immediate problem is not one of success, but what kind of success we are having.…We need to learn to succeed in the right things. Ernest Holmes – A New Design for Living, 143 & 148

There was a time when automobiles were forbidden to go faster than 35 mph, because it was known that faster than that and our brains would explode.

Because we fail to realize that Principle is not bound by precedent, we limit our faith to that which has already been accomplished, and few miracles result. When, through intuition, faith finds its proper place under Divine Law, there are no limitations, and what are called miraculous results follow. Ernest Holmes, Science of Mind, 162.3

And so, we are in charge of how we view life, of how we live Life. We choose the Energy we use to create our experiences. We are not actually governed by what has gone before, or how we responded to events before – or how we named the experiences of our life before.

…only by starting now, not tomorrow, will we ever come to believe more, to experience the proof of that which we do believe. We have in this moment the choice, the right, and the privilege either to maintain and support any pattern of thought we may have previously established, or to establish an entirely new pattern of action.

We must decide…Now is the only time we can ever act. Ernest Holmes, A New Design for Living, 130.2

Consistency is all important. Consistent negative thought gets us into most of our trouble; consistent positive thought is the only thing that can get us out. … each additional successful experience will breed more of it. Success breeds success, so let us be sure of the direction in which we are going. Ernest Holmes, A New Design for Living, 146

If you are like me, and sometimes feel negative energy eroding that which is our basic good, then I will share these words from Dr. Holmes – the capital letters are his – he thought it important enough to YELL:

WE ARE BOUND BY NOTHING EXCEPT BELIEF. WE MAY CHANGE THE TREND OF CAUSATION WHICH HAS BEEN SET IN MOTION AT ANY TIME WE DECIDE TO DO SO. Ernest Holmes, Science of Mind, 128

–Knowing for each and all peaceful change toward the good, Mariann

 

Gratitude In All Things by Sharon Whealy, RScP

We are all familiar with gratitude lists as a tool to help us shift our thinking. We sit down with a piece of paper and list all the things we are grateful for: our home, our work, our family and friends, food on the table, good health. The list goes on. This practice of gratitude tends to focus on all the things we already have in our lives, and not so much on what we desire to have in our life.

Zen Master Sono shared this practice of gratitude saying, “Thank you for everything. I have no complaints whatsoever.” (SOM Magazine Nov. 2023). I journaled about this passage, delving into the idea of being grateful for everything, without complaint at all. How do we get to that place of gratitude for everything, not just the things we love having in our lives, but everything else that we would rather just go away?

For me, the first step is acceptance, can I acknowledge what has happened, or is happening, just as it is? It is done, and now it is up to me to choose how to respond. I can fight it, rail against it, try to change it, or I can say, okay – this is what is happening now.

My next step is to breathe and center, to get myself into present time. I look around and check in with what is actually happening right now, in this eternal moment of now. This allows me to remember and know that God / Spirit / Love / Life is right in the middle of what is happening and so it must be good, often despite appearances! Then I anchor that with Spiritual Mind Treatment (God is, I am, all is well and good, I am Grateful, and so it is).

Finally, I continue to look for the good in every situation. Anytime there is a natural disaster; floods, fires, hurricanes, etc., people come together to help each other. During Covid we saw the planet begin to heal, we gave each other space, and we learned new ways of staying connected. It is often when we hit “rock bottom” that the deepest shift and healing begin.

In Joe Dispenza’s Becoming Supernatural, he talks about manifesting the life of our dreams. About gratitude he says, “Gratitude is a powerful emotion to use for manifesting because normally we feel gratitude after we receive something. So, the emotional signature of gratitude means it has already happened. When you are thankful or you feel appreciation, you are in the ultimate state to receive” (pg. 82)

Lately I have been playing with the idea of being grateful for things that have not happened yet. When Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes, he gave thanks for the abundance they were about to receive. To open our last Gratitude Rainshower I read from Colette BaronReid’s The Dream Weaver’s Oracle, card 31, “When the Birds Sing Grat-it-tude”: “The true manifesting power of gratitude is the declaration in advance of your needs being met. . . . Can you be thankful for whatever happens?”

Next Gratitude Rainshower is Tuesday, February 25 th at 6:30pm on CSLT’s Zoom room.

-In all things, may you be grateful. Blessings. Sharon

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