“There is a power of light and love and beauty in the universe greater than anything we have ever imagined—and it includes us.”

I was talking with someone about how hard a task he was doing felt. I’ve felt the same way when I’m engaged in something in the 3D world—like taxes, finances, or a hectic and all-consuming schedule. In those moments, I remember a quote by Ernest Holmes Mystic and Founder of the Science of Mind philosophy: “The burden of life is not that we have to carry it, but that we try to carry it alone.”

What if we truly believed we had an inner companion—that highest part of ourselves—I call it Creative Intelligence, working through us all the time? What if all we had to do was surrender to it, and it would take over?

Is that a scary thought? The word surrender can be intimidating. But for me, it’s a relief. Anytime I feel overwhelmed, I simply breathe and remind myself: something greater than my finite mind has got this. And when I do that, something almost miraculous happens—things get easier. If I need to make a call, just the right person picks up.

But we cannot access this higher state while holding on to negativity. So much is happening in the world right now that would have us believe it’s hopeless—that there’s no chance for something greater. If we want to assist the Earth in making a shift, we must overcome that belief. Ernest wrote: “As we let go of fear, hate, and resentment, the Light of Love enters and the burden is lifted.”

There is no room for two lines of thought in our consciousness. One will neutralize the other. Surely, we want the higher thought to win. But how hard is it to stay positive, to look for the good, to shine our light?

What does it mean to shine our light? Ernest wrote: “We already live in a Perfect Presence. Our task is to stop believing in the imperfection that weighs us down.”

It sounds overly simple—just stop believing in imperfection—but it is simple. It just takes practice. That’s why the first place we must begin healing is within ourselves. Forgiveness and self-love are the beginnings of the journey to wholeness.

What’s that old Bible verse? “Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch?” —Luke 6:39 (KJV)

We must get our own house in order before we can help anyone else. As lightworkers, we assist by being nonjudgmental and openhearted, living as examples of the light.

We don’t have to go anywhere to get this light. Yes, there are wonderful teachers and books, but in the end, it comes down to this: we must light our own wick. It’s all already within us.

Ernest wrote: “Heaven is within us, and we experience it to the degree that we become conscious of it. To know this is to lighten the soul.”

In James Mellon’s Mental Muscle: Spiritual Boot Camp, which we are completing this week, there are three foundational directives that carry us through the eight weeks: Release. Let Go. Allow. To move forward—to lighten the load—we must release our preconceived notions of ourselves. We are not who we were 20 years ago, or even yesterday. We must give ourselves permission to change.

Whenever someone tells me they can’t get over something from the past, I remind them: You were doing the best you could with what you knew at the time. Who are you going to be now?

If we truly believed we could be new right now, we’d release the past and realize it’s what brought us to this moment—to the person we are today.

And then we allow—allow the power and presence of that higher self, that light consciousness, to pierce the gloom and lift us up. Ernest wrote: “Let go of the lesser and you make room for the greater. Release the weight of past thinking and walk into the lightness of Truth.”

This might sound esoteric, but it’s actually scientific—and you can prove it to yourself. You are a light vibration. That is the essence of your cells. You are energy. But we can become weighed down by a lower vibration—by the darkness of thought. The light is still there; it’s just obscured.

Can it all be reduced to a thought that can be changed? Yes. It’s a decision—a moment of willingness. And if you need help, there are so many resources: meditations, talks, books. There’s also Spiritual Mind Treatment, which redirects your energy toward your chosen outcome. Even when things appear bleak, SMT can shift your mind and your beliefs. I know—its practice shifts my life every single day.

Ernest Holmes wrote: “We should be careful to distinguish day-dreaming and wistful wishing from really dynamic and creative treatment. When we treat we do not wish, we KNOW. We do not dream, we STATE. We do not hope, we ACCEPT. We do not pray, we ANNOUNCE. We do not expect something is going to happen, we BELIEVE THAT IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.” (Science of Mind, p. 399.3)

So, to sum it up: If we want to lighten the load of our lives here on planet Earth, we must remember who we are and bring that essence of Truth into every situation. When we forget, we have tools to help us remember—meditation, treatment, inspired teachings. But ultimately, we cannot borrow our light from another for long.

To truly lighten the load of life, we must surrender to the Infinite—a road of uncertainty and unlimited potential—with the deep knowing that we are all entangled in one divine field of energy, just waiting for us to decide who we are becoming.

Love and Light,

Rev. Dr. Rita Andriello-Feren, Author, Co-Founding Spiritual Director of CSL Kaua’i