The
Still
Waters
    
           Our Universal Mind    
             
September 2005

Home  Library

     “...they should seek the Lord...and find him...though he be not far from every one of us: For in him, we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17: 27, 28 to ;).

     “And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.” (Isaiah 25: 7).

     “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” (11 Corinthians 3: 14-16.)

     “Let this mind be in you, that was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2: 5).

     The biggest lie we live with, in this human experience, is the false belief that we are separated from God, our divine Source. We have only to stand before a mirror to view this illusory separation. Nothing is attached to our physical body forms—no cord, no string; nothing connects us to anything or anyone else. Open space around our body and being is all that is apparent to the material sense of sight.

     In fact, the entire physical condition, or dimension, presents this lie of separation to us. Our material senses of sight, sound, taste, smell and touch perpetually present the appearance of individuality and aloneness to our assessment of things. We even seem to have our own, individual mind, separated from the consciousness of God, and all others in creation. With this physical mind, called the brain, we believe we can think and do whatever pleases us to think and do. We are masters of our own sense of the universe, each one playing out his and her individual wills and agendas. Every day, the world is expressing the chaos produced by billions of individual, material dramas being played out, under this collective delusion of physical, rather than spiritual, being.

     Thus, we share, with everyone else, almost everything in the material dimension. We experience the same survival needs—we need to eat, drink, have shelter from weather extremes, work for our supply, and protect our homes and country from those who are bent on destruction to others. We also need to be healthy, both mentally and physically. So, with no material recognition of a divine being meeting all these immediate needs, we tend to seek most remedies from our physical environment, not realizing the resources of Spirit at our disposal.

     This false, material sense of existence is the 'veil' cast over the real consciousness (mind) of all people (see quotations at beginning of this article). A veil is something that hides or obscures, but does not eliminate, what lies beneath it. And because this false, physical sense of being (veil) is universal, we each have and hold to it, in varying degrees, in our individual belief systems.

     Ascension out of this physical sense of reality is rare, to say the least. Yet, our ultimate ascension out of it, on either side of the grave, is our only way home. Christ Jesus showed the way to remove this veil (material sense) from our true mind. He brought forth the spiritual truth of things, leading us on this journey-home of consciousness; but he had no intention of staying here, in the flesh, once his mission was done. His ascension—not death on the cross—was the real end of the path he was showing us to take. Having cleansed his own consciousness of all material belief in a material selfhood, this physical sense of self evaporated into the greater truth of spiritual being. Before reaching the destination of the Master, we have a lot of other steps to take.

     The good news is that spiritual realization, with all its healing benefits, is possible to each and every one of us, because we share another thing with all creatures in this place: spiritual perception. Spiritual perception is the awareness of all things real, outside the physical dimension. It's the God-connection, that we don't see in that mirror; but it's there, just the same. We can all find our way back to our heavenly home—the true creation of God—because the material universe isn't what it seems, and because the truth or knowledge of our true, spiritual body, mind, and universe is actually still dwelling deep within our true mentality. Spiritual truth is dwelling in our real, spiritual mind, or divine consciousness within, still connected to the divine Intelligence, the One, only true Mind. And just as the false sense is universal in nature, so is the divine truth within consciousness universal in nature, because we really live within this One, divine consciousness, all the time we're believing that we're separated from it!

     There is really only one Intelligence, one Truth and Knowledge to know. It comes from the Creator. And this knowledge is written in the hearts and minds of all creatures. We all have the same, universal Mind. It never left us. It's sleeping within our greater conscious awareness, when we turn from the the material senses and mentally view our true, spiritual body and mind. The Creator is infinite Spirit, not made of something as perishable as matter; and every thing in God, Spirit's, creation, is spiritual, not material, in essence, form and substance.

     Infinite Spirit never created a material creation separated from Itself; therefore, such a dimension is the shared delusion of the material senses, and nothing else. It's the Adam dream, depicted in the second chapter of Genesis. It's the mythical place where good and evil dwell together as powers, because the beliefs of the people have accepted such a falsity, and called it 'knowledge'. It's the disobedient thought that breaks the commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods (powers) before me.” (Exodus 20: 3. My emphasis). For in God's spiritual and only creation, there is no evil cause and effect. Good and evil don't exist in the divine creation. Good alone is real, and evil is only the claim of the absence of some good that is spiritually present. That's why Christ Jesus brought spiritual healing to the world; to prove that, in actuality, God's children are never diseased, injured or dead; thus, all seeming 'evil' powers can be erased from the material scene, and their material effects can be corrected.

     Over the years, one particular thing Christ Jesus said has had a profound effect upon my own progression on the spiritual healing path. When Pontius Pilate asked Jesus why his own nation and chief priests had delivered him for execution, Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight...but now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18: 36).

     Pontius Pilate was addressing the spiritual authority which Jesus was demonstrating when healing diseases, sin, discords and death; but the statement, 'My kingdom is not of this world' was a direct reference to another kingdom present and active—another reality, from whence all his spiritual power flowed—even in the midst of the physical dimension he was occupying.

     The realization of our other kingdom, and faith in its presence, has long been an element of each and every healing I've experienced. As Jesus was showing us, our real kingdom is not of this material dimension. Our kingdom is the invisible, spiritual kingdom of God. And in that ever-present kingdom, God is the only Authority. Thus, all material 'laws' of belief, all physical appearances, all human discords, diseases, deaths, violence, terrorism, chaos, is not in, (nor has anything to do with) God's spiritual kingdom, ever present and active to be called forth into the human situation. In 'our kingdom', we have no material laws or beliefs to consider. God is the only Authority over our health, life, supply, place, and ever-lasting harmony, no matter what other dimension, in belief, we seem to find ourselves inhabiting.

     Healing from the realization of the Kingdom of God, still at hand, doesn't just apply to healing the temporary, physical form of body; it can also heal every disruptive, disorderly, and unharmonious situation in the human scene. Along these lines, here's one incident that happened in my early years on the spiritual healing path:

     In 1971, I had a part-time job, working evenings, at a department store. The department store was located within a big shopping center, in a north-eastern suburb of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. (Malls were called shopping centers in those days.) One evening, not long before the normal closing time, an announcement was made that all levels of the center had to be evacuated at once. There was no immediate danger, the announcer said, but please walk safely out of the center now. No reason for the evacuation was given (as I remember) so everyone was apprehensive, but moving orderly.

     Getting out of the shopping center was easy; getting out of the humongous parking lot was a nightmare. I found myself in the biggest traffic jam I'd ever experienced. My car was parked near the main entrance, and all I usually had to do was drive on the little lane leading to the main entrance road, turn right, go about thirty feet to the stoplight that turned right unto a highway, and I'd be on my way home. It had always been so simple.

     But on this occasion, I was sitting in a line of cars, all waiting access to the main road leading to the highway. Most of the problem was with the traffic lights at the highway; these lights turned green only in short time segments, allowing only a few cars unto the highway at a time. The nearly-constant red light kept hundreds of drivers, like myself, trapped in the lot, trying to get on the entry/exit road leading out.

     All around there was chaos, and it seemed to be getting worse as the minutes ticked away. Horns were honking everywhere. People were screaming, having fender benders, cursing in anger, and no police seemed to be around to control the flow of traffic. Still, I quickly realized that I was actually safer, just sitting still in my unmoving lane. It would probably take a couple of hours to sort out this disorder and chaos, but the chaos was much worse on the main road. I could last it out, I thought.

     After a few minutes, a single police officer appeared and tried to hold back the four lanes of traffic now filling the main road. His intention was clear; he tried to block the road, just before a point where five lanes could turn unto it, in order to allow an orderly flow of traffic out, each lane taking its turn. Once blocked, he started to allow one lane to clear, but the angry drivers on the main road ran right over the cones put up to block them, and chaos reigned again. The policeman needed help.

     Suddenly, I remembered that the divine Presence is always with us, and where this divine Presence is, so is all God's power, control, and Authority. Here was just one more human situation that denied God's sovereignty. This traffic jam had to be subject to the divine presence and power, because all things are, I realized.

     So I began to pray in this way: I asked God, the divine, infinite Intelligence that is always with us, to open my spiritual eyes. Let me see, mentally, the harmony and complete control which the divine Intelligence held over all. Help me clearly discern the harmony and order which exists in God's true, spiritual creation. Show me, from within, the truth of things here—not the scene before my eyes. What did I need to know of spiritual truth, that would allow this appearance of chaos to transform into harmony.

     Then, very clearly, I heard these thoughts (I'm paraphrasing as memory permits): “There is only One Mind, in which all live and move within. This Intelligence is within all, and expressed by all. No other mind exists to interfere with the divine harmony that is ever-present to be realized and recognized. There is never millions of separate minds acting out separate truths; right where no one seems to be in control, right there, all live in the unity of the one, divine Mind, and obey its Authority. Thus, love and harmony is the only real law here. You don't need policemen to produce harmony; God produces harmony, through people, when the One Mind is realized.” (That's as close as I remember it.)

     I then saw that this is true. Every creature, every identity of this great mentality, would agree with every other identity or creature. Since we're really all of the same Mind, then harmony is the rule, not chaos. If there really IS only one, universal Mind in which we all exist, then conflict, chaos, and disorder can't really exist. Why? Because there's no other mind, or mentality, to interfere with the divine harmony and order of existence, where everything moves in the perfect rhythm of divine Love. I felt quite peaceful, seeing this invisible, spiritual truth.

     Suddenly, I heard sirens break me out of my short meditation. I witnessed several things happen like dominoes falling, ping, ping, ping, all in order. First, a couple police cars arrived to block the cross traffic out on the highway, permitting the mall traffic to flow, without stop, out of the main entry road, unto the highway. Second, a big car tried to creep out from the lane on my left, unto the cramped, main road; but the car sputtered and died in the middle of the road before making its turn, blocking and holding back all four lanes of traffic that the lone policeman had earlier tried to block. Now, several other long lanes of frustrated drivers could access the main road. Third, several individuals got out of their cars and went to help the lone police officer, assuring safe movement from the drivers which wouldn't wait their turn or tried to interfere with the smooth movement of the trapped lanes. My lane was the first to move. Lastly, as I pulled out onto the highway, I noticed that all the noise had stopped...the horns, the screaming, the surges of engines and brakes...a silence took over the whole place. It was as if everyone involved was taking a long, moment of peace, watching the sudden, orderly, and harmonious flow of the hundreds of cars, leaving the chaos behind, each in its own turn.

     All the way home, I marveled at several things: the speed with which the whole situation changed into order and control; the fact that this change came from several different places at once—the police on the highway, the individuals coming together to help the lone officer deal with disorderly behavior, the car suddenly dying in a position that kept four lanes of traffic from surging forward; and the most amazing, symphonic way, each narrow lane of cars took its leave, one at a time, with no interference from anyone. It was as though everyone involved was in unity on what to do, all acting out of the same mind and will.

     Needless to say, this experience of witnessing the divine Intelligence take control over hundreds of people, (swiftly replacing the material scene of chaos, disorder, and conflict) has stayed with me for over thirty years. I can't forget it. The memory of that traffic jam, so long ago, sustained me during the chaos, intolerance, and what seemed to be individual minds in conflict during the 2000 elections. It stayed with me during the 9/11 experience, and all the days following. It stays with me, even today, during the chaotic, conflictive behavior of world events. It stays with me because I know there's only one true, universal Mind; and, in the true consciousness of this Intelligence—when ceasing all human will and allowing it to be in control—there is no conflict, no disorder, in God's ever-present kingdom.

     In today's world, the divine Intelligence can still work all things out in perfect order and harmony. No one is a Republican, Democrat, Left-winger, Right-winger, or Centrist. No one is Christian, Jew, Muslim, or Agnostic. No one is American, Iraqi, French or Russian. No one is male or female. These are self-made, self-limiting categories we place ourselves and others in. What we truly and spiritually are, are the children of a loving, harmonious God, who likes order and harmony, and thus put them into creation, forever. In spiritual reality, we are all of the same Mind. We live in that true, spiritually present creation, heaven on earth. We live in that true Mind and the invisible kingdom of God; and we agree with each other in perfect harmony. We all want the same things, the same good, the same Intelligence, Wisdom, Love and Purpose that lives at the core of our inner being. And beneath whatever chaotic, material situations we experience, lies the harmony and control of the One, universal Mind—the universal Christ Consciousness—waiting to be called forth into action.

Home  Library