“The Declaration of Principles” of the Science of Mind states.

“We believe in God, the Living Spirit Almighty; one indestructible, absolute, and self-existent Cause. This One manifests Itself in and through all creation, but is not absorbed by Its creation. The manifest universe is the body of God; it is the logical and necessary outcome of the infinite self-knowingness of God.”

When I read this Principle this week, my first thought was, since we believe this is true, why would we have any unfulfilled desires or any needs at all. Let me break this Principle down.

Although we all use different names for it, there is only one Power. If you do not like the word “God,” choose your own word for your Higher Power. We approach God in the way in which we are comfortable.

This one Power is indestructible. It cannot be destroyed. In Science we would call this Power Energy. Science knows that Energy cannot be destroyed. It can only take on different forms.

“Why energy is neither created nor destroyed? The total amount of energy and matter in the Universe remains constant, merely changing from one form to another. The First Law of Thermodynamics (Conservation) states that energy is always conserved, it cannot be created or destroyed.“

Next, the Power is Absolute. This means (in Science of Mind terms) that it transcends any conceivable limitation. Ernest Holmes in the Glossary of the Science of Mind states that it is “unaffected by opinions and or desires or beliefs of men.”

Science states: “The universe itself is a closed system, so the total amount of energy in existence has always been the same. The forms that energy takes, however, are constantly changing.“

We might argue that it is our belief that creates our life and that means God or Energy is affected by our belief. No, it means that our belief sets the limit on that which in Itself is unlimited.

The Power is self-existent, which means that it exists because it is, not because someone or something did something to it or created it.

So, then, the Principle states this Power is manifested through all creation, but not absorbed by its creation. Energy doesn’t run out. It is Infinite and Unlimited. If we take a drop of energy and place it somewhere, it doesn’t take away from the original energy. In fact, both deposits of energy remain connected to each other and influence each other. This has been shown through scientific experiments.

The manifest Universe (all forms) is the body of God. God contemplates upon itself and form is created. This is what I believe about myself and all of creation. “Thoughts are things.” This is why it is so important to think purely and lovingly and infinitely.

So, as I truly contemplate the first Principle of my faith, the question I deeply ask for all of us is this? What is causing our lives to be anything less than unlimited and infinite?

The answer to this question is both simple and complex. It is because we have the ability to choose what we will think. We are “bound because we are first free.” Our freedom can limit us or it can create a bountiful and fulfilling unlimited life here on planet earth.

So, why would we not choose to believe unlimited thoughts and to act accordingly. The answer is simple and complex. When we continue to decide what we can have based on what we see in the world of form, we are not creating from this First Cause in all its Power. We are creating from what we have already created and we get more of the same or less. This is called creating from “secondary causation.”

So, when I say “Only Big Ideas Allowed,” I am stating that I will not entertain or allow to enter my consciousness anything less than the Infinite idea of God expressing as me. Just stating this is not enough but it is a start. As I’ve been working with this first Principle all week and seeing it manifested in my life both negatively and positively, I am on my way to embodying it as my life.

There is a meditation by Dr. Joe Dispenza called “Change.” In the meditation, you practice changing your thought when a thought comes into your mind that you do not want. You merely tell yourself to “Change.” It takes practice but eventually, you get better and better at it. It’s like pouring clean water into a murky, cloudy glass of water. Eventually, the water becomes clearer. In the Science of Mind Dr. Holmes questions why we cannot clear that glass of consciousness instantaneously. Well, of course, we can, but for most of us it is a process. However, do not get trapped in the process. I invite you to tell yourself that your water of consciousness is clear and infinite now.

Dr. Holmes writes, “We have self-choice and the ability to choose backed with the power to externalize that choice.” This makes so much sense to me, and as I truly contemplate this promise, I see that it has to be true. Otherwise, we would be living in a sort of hell. We would want things for ourselves with no opportunity to manifest them. This hell is true for many of us.

Notice, that the word is self-choice. We do not get to choose for others, bring others around to our ideas or force others to change. Self-choice is just that – our self able to choose. We then attract to ourselves everything that coincides with that choice. Everything else has to fall out of the way.

A simple example would be the choice to have a great experience on a trip, to feel that it is easy and effortless and that we meet amazing people along the way. If we truly make that choice, which I have done on many occasions, then we have to attract what is like our own vibration. We can’t fool the Law of Attraction. It is not about merely thinking the thought and voila it appears. It is a feeling Universe and it is our feeling that attracts our experiences.

I was recently reading a passage in John Randolph Price’s book on Abundance. It struck me to my core. “The Universe does not compensate individuals based on the activity of work, but on the activity of consciousness. Accordingly, if you feel your life is empty and useless – that your work is insignificant – that the things that are yours to do are really meaningless, then you will be pressing out of universal Substance an income directly related to that consciousness – insignificant, trivial, useless and valueless.”

This is huge for all of us. Do we feel worth it? Do we feel worthy of big ideas and their manifestation as our life? Do we feel important to the world? Do we feel that we matter greatly? Ours is to start living that way. It takes self-analysis and commitment.

Ernest Holmes writes, “Look into your own past and find out what you are afraid of and convince the mentality that there is nothing to fear. Look the world squarely in the face; sift the mentality to its depths, removing every obstruction that inhibits the free flow of those great spiritual realizations.”

No one in the history of this earth has said that the Spiritual Life is easy. In fact, it takes vigilance, perseverance, and daily practice. It is a choice to live the life of the Spirit. The earth is the greatest playing ground for us to expand ourselves spiritually. It takes a lot of practice to see beyond the world of form.

It’s up to each of us and we cannot get away from Consciousness. It is all that there is and it is that from which everything else comes. If we want the changes in our life to be here and now, we must get back to Consciousness and the realization that our Consciousness is the Consciousness of the Unlimited Power and allow ourselves to vibrate with the Divine: “One indestructible, absolute, and self-existent Cause. “

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita Andriello-Feren, Spiritual Director CSL Kaua`i, Spiritual Coach