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Christian Healing
Lesson 1
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[Christian Healing]
[Charles Fillmore's Works] [Unity on the Web Home Page]
Lesson One
The True Character of Being
1. "There is a spirit in man, and the breath of the
Almighty giveth them understanding." The science that is
here set forth is founded upon Spirit. It does not always
conform to intellectual standards, but it is, nevertheless,
scientific. The facts of Spirit are of a spiritual
character and, when understood in their right relation,
they are orderly. Orderliness is law, and is the test of
true science.
2. The lawful truths of Spirit are more scientific than the
constantly shifting opinions based on intellectual
standards. The only real science is the science of Spirit.
It never changes. It is universally accepted by all who are
in Spirit, but one must be "in the Spirit" before one can
understand this science of Spirit. The mind of Spirit must
become active in those who would grasp the orderly science
of Being that these lessons proclaim.
3. It is not absolutely necessary that the spiritual part
of man's nature be active at the beginning of his study of
this science. The primal object of the lessons is to
quicken the spiritual realm of consciousness and to bring
about the "breath of the Almighty" that gives understanding.
4. So let it be understood that we are teaching the science
of Spirit, and that those who are receptive to the teaching
will be inspired to spiritual consciousness. It is not
difficult to accomplish, this
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receiving the "breath" or inspiration of Spirit. We all are
inspired by Spirit, in certain states of consciousness.
Understanding of the laws governing the realm of Spirit
will make it possible to attain this consciousness and to
receive this inspiration whenever requirements are met.
5. The starting point in spiritual realization is a right
understanding of that One designated as the Almighty. It is
strictly logical and scientific to assume that man comes
forth from this One, who is named variously, but who, all
agree, is the origin of everything. Since man is the
offspring of the Almighty, he must have the character of
his Parent. If the earthly child resembles his parents, how
much more should the heavenly child resemble his Parent.
The truth that God is the Father of man does away with the
oft proclaimed presumption that it is impossible for the
finite to understand the Infinite. God must be in His
universe as everywhere intelligent power; otherwise, it
would fall to pieces. God is in the universe as its
constant "breath" or inspiration; hence it is only
necessary to find the point of contact in order to
understand the One in whom we all "live, and move, and have
our being."
6. A sense of logic is a fundamental constituent of man's
being, and all minds acquiesce in statements of logical
sequence. We all see the relation and unity of cause and
effect, mentally stated, but, because the realm of forms
does not always carry out our premise, we fall away from
the true standard
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and try to convince ourselves that our logic is, somehow,
defective. The one important thing that the student of
spiritual science must learn is to trust the logic of mind.
If appearances are out of harmony with your mental premise,
do not let them unseat your logic. "Judge not according to
appearance, but judge righteous judgment." You would not
take the mixed figures of a child working a problem in
mathematics as an example of the trueness of the principle;
nor could you detect an error in the problem unless you
were somewhat familiar with the rules of mathematics.
Mental propositions are the standards and governing
principles in all sciences developed by man. In the science
of creation the same rule holds good. You may rest in the
assurance that the principles that you mentally perceive as
true of God are inviolate, and that, if there seems to be
error in their outworking, it is because of some
misapplication on the part of the demonstrator. By holding
to the principle and insisting upon its accuracy, you open
the way to a fuller understanding of it; you will also be
shown the cause of the errors in the demonstration.
7. Then, if you have been in confusion mentally through
contemplation of a world both good and evil, and have, in
consequence, got into skeptical ways, the only true remedy
is to stand by the pure reason of your spiritual perception
and let it clear up the proposition for you. Dismiss all
prejudices based upon the mixed perception; make your mind
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receptive to the clearer understanding that will surely
appear when you have taken sides with Spirit, when you look
to Spirit alone for the outworking of the problem.
8. This is not blind belief; it is, in the
superconsciousness, an acquiescence in the logic of Being.
The superconsciousness is man's only sure guide in the
mazes of the creative process. By trusting to the
infallibility of this guide, man opens himself to the
inspiration of the Almighty. Spirituality may be cultivated
by, and the deep things of God may be revealed to, anyone
who will mentally proclaim and affirm the logical
perception of the goodness and the Truth of Being.
9. The central proposition in the inspiration of Spirit is
that God, or primal Cause, is good. It does not make any
great difference what you name this primal Cause; the
important consideration is a right concept of its
character. The Hindu calls it Brahma, a being of such
stupendous proportions that man shrinks into nothingness in
contemplating it. Although this greatness of absolute Being
is true, there is also another point of view--the smallness
of that same Being as evidenced in the presence of its life
in the most insignificant creations. So, in order to get at
the very heart of Being, it is necessary to realize that it
is manifesting in the least as well as in the greatest, and
that, in the bringing forth of a universe, not one idea
could be taken away without unbalancing the whole. This
brings us to a fuller
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realization of our importance in the universe and to the
necessity of finding our right place. It also puts us into
very close touch with the Father of all, the one
omnipresent Intelligence pervading everything.
10. The Father within you, so lovingly and familiarly
revealed by Jesus, is not a distance, far away in a place
called "heaven." His abode is in the spiritual realms that
underlie all creative forces. As Jesus realized and taught,
"the kingdom of God is within you." Spirit is the seat of
power; its abode is on the invisible side of man's nature.
11. This revelation of God immanent in the universe was
clearly set forth by Paul: "over all, and through all, and
in all." The inspired ministers of all times have
proclaimed the same.
12. The Power that creates and sustains the universe
includes in its activity the creating and the sustaining of
man. The desire for a fuller understanding of this Power
has awakened a great inquiry into the character of the
all-pervading One. On every hand men are earnestly seeking
to know about God, seeking to come into harmonious relation
with Him. Some are succeeding, while others seem to make
but little progress. The diversity of results obtained is
caused by the variety of ways of approaching the one
Mind--for such God is. In mind is the key to the whole
situation, and when man clearly discerns the science of
mind, he will solve easily all the mysteries of creation.
13. The dictionary definitions of mind and spirit
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are nearly identical; with this analogy realized, we much
more easily get in touch with God. If spirit and mind are
synonymous, we readily perceive that there is no great
mystery about spiritual things, that they are not far
removed from our daily thoughts and experiences. "Ye are a
temple of God, and . . . the Spirit of God dwelleth in
you," simply means that God dwells in us as our mind dwells
in our body. Thus we see that God creates and moves
creation through the power of mind. The vehicles of mind
are thoughts, and it is through our mind in thought action
that we shall find God and do His will.
14. There are mental laws that investigators are
discovering, observing, and tabulating as never before in
the world's history. Man has the ability to discern and
understand the various factors entering into the creative
processes of mind, and he is, through the study of mental
laws, perceiving and accepting the science of ideas,
thoughts, and words. But those who investigate nature and
her laws from the intellectual and physical viewpoint fall
short of complete understanding, because they fail to trace
back to the causing Mind the multitudinous symbols that
make up the visible universe. The material forms that we
see about us are the chalk marks of a mighty problem being
outworked by the one Mind. To comprehend that problem and
to catch a slight glimpse of its meaning, we must grasp the
ideas that the chalk marks represent; this is what we mean
by
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studying Mind back of nature. Man is mind and he is capable
of comprehending the plan and the detailed ideas of the
supreme Mind.
15. Divine ideas are man's inheritance; they are pregnant
with all possibility, because ideas are the foundation and
cause of all that man desires. With this understanding as a
foundation, we easily perceive how "all . . . mine are
thine." All the ideas contained in the one Father-Mind are
at the mental command of its offspring. Get behind a thing
into the mental realm where it exists as an inexhaustible
idea, and you can draw upon it perpetually and never
deplete the source.
16. With this understanding of the potentiality of primal
Cause, we find it a simple matter to work the problem of
life--the key to the situation being ideas. Thus life in
expression is activity; in Being it is an idea of activity.
To make life appear on the visible plane, we have but to
open our mind and our thoughts to the divine idea of life
and activity, and lo, all visibility is obedient to us. It
is through this understanding, and its cultivation in
various degrees, that men have acquired the ability to
raise dead bodies. Jesus understood this realm of supreme
ideas, or, as He termed it, "the kingdom of God . . .
within you." When He raised Lazarus He invoked this power.
When Martha talked about a future resurrection, He said, "I
am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me,
though he die, yet shall he live." One who identifies his
whole mind
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with omnipresent Mind becomes so much at one with it that
he can overcome death.
17. The real of the universe is held in the mind of Being
as ideas of life, love, substance, intelligence, Truth, and
so forth. These ideas may be combined in a multitude of
ways, producing infinite variety in the realm of forms.
There is a right combination, which constitutes the divine
order, the kingdom of heaven on earth. This right relation
of ideas and the science of right thought is practical
Christianity.
18. The student in the science of Being should start all
his investigations and mental activities from the one-Mind
foundation. If you are skeptical about the existence of
God, or if you are an abstract believer in God without
having had any experience or conscious mental awakening
that has given you proof, you should be very industrious in
prayer, affirmation, and invocation. Remember, God is not a
king who can force his presence upon you whether you will
or not, but an omnipresent Mind enfolding and
interpenetrating all things.
19. There are goodness everlasting and joy beyond
expression in a perfect union between your mind and this
perfect Mind. The point of contact is a willingness and a
seeking on your part. "Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and
it shall be opened unto you."
20. This question naturally presents itself: If we are
offspring of Divine Mind, why are we not naturally
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conscious of its presence? The answer to this is: In using
the privilege of our inheritance--the power to make ideas
visible as things--we have created a realm that separates
us in consciousness from the Father-Mind. This is the
teaching of Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son. When
we are weary of the sense consciousness, we have only to
turn our face (intelligence) toward our Father's house;
there we shall meet a loving welcome.
21. The understanding that God is not in a distant heaven,
nor located in any way geographically, gives us a feeling
of nearness to and unity with the parent Mind. This
intercommunion of the man consciousness with the
omnipresent spiritual force of the universe was beautifully
exemplified by Jesus. God was closer to Him than hands or
feet. He referred all things to this loving Father, who was
in constant communion and cooperation with the Son; yet
there was, even in His case, the independent personal
consciousness that beset Him when He sought to be free from
mortal limitations. So we should not be discouraged or cast
down if we do not quickly find the kingdom of God within
us. Jesus spent whole nights in prayer; we should not be
weary with a few moments each day. A daily half hour of
meditation will open up the mind to a consciousness of the
inner One and will reveal many things that are hidden from
the natural man.
22. The fact is, Truth cannot be imparted--it must be
individually experienced. The presence of
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Divine Mind in the soul cannot be told in words; it can be
hinted at and referred to in parable and likened to this or
to that, but it can never be described as it is. The
ability of the individual mind to combine the ideas of
Divine Mind in a consciousness of its own makes each of us
the "only begotten Son," a particular and special creation.
No two individuals in all the universe are exactly alike,
because there is always diversity in the ideas appropriated
by each individual from Divine Mind.
23. The truth is, then:
That God is Principle, Law, Being, Mind, Spirit, All-Good,
omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, unchangeable, Creator,
Father, Cause, and source of all that is;
That God is individually formed in consciousness in each of
us, and is known to us as "Father" when we recognize Him
within us as our Creator, as our mind, as our life, as our
very being;
That mind has ideas and that ideas have expression; that
all manifestation in our world is the result of the ideas
that we are holding in mind and are expressing;
That to bring forth or to manifest the harmony of Divine
Mind, or the "kingdom of heaven," all our ideas must be one
with divine ideas, and must be expressed in the divine
order of Divine Mind.
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Statements For The Realization Of Divine Mind
(To be used in connection with Lesson One)
1. There is one Presence, one Intelligence, one Substance,
one Life: the good omnipotent.
2. God is the name of the everywhere-present Principle, in
whom I live, move, and have my being.
3. God is the name of my good.
4. God almighty, "Father of all, who is over all, and
through all, and in all."
5. Thy name is Spirit. I know Thee as the one, the
all-seeing, Mind.
6. "Our Father who art in heaven [the everywhere-present
inner harmony], Hallowed be thy name [wholeness manifests
Thy character]."
7. Thou art always with me as indwelling wisdom and love.
8. Thy law is now the standard of my life, and I am at
peace.
9. "I in thee . . . and thou in me."
10. Thou art never absent from me--I now see Thee face to
face.
11. I think Thy thoughts after Thee.
12. I dwell in Thee and share Thine omnipotence.
13. In Thee is my perfection.
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[Christian Healing]
[Charles Fillmore's Works] [Unity on the Web Home Page]
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