Where the Passion of the Heart
Meets the Wisdom of the One Spirit in us all
JUNE'S THEME: M.O.N.E.Y. (My Own Natural Energy Yield).
June’s theme was M.O.N.E.Y. (My Own Natural Energy Yield). It turned out to be one of the highest energy yielding month’s of my life mainly because I was able to switch from my desired Plan A to the unexpected Plan B. Here’s a great saying by Suzy Toronto that captures it all:
Life is All About How You Handle Plan B.
Plan A is always my first choice.
You know, the one where
Everything works out to be
Happily ever-after.
But more often than not,
I find myself dealing with
The upside-down, inside-out version—
Where nothing goes at it should.
It’s at this point that the real
Test of my character comes in. . .
Do I sink, or do I swim?
Do I wallow in self pity and play the victim,
Or simply shift gears
And make the best of the situation?
The choice is all mine. . .
Life is all about how you handle Plan B.
Here’s to being independent of circumstances, non-resistant and going with the flow—that’s the only way I know to live our Divine Purpose of being God’s representative of Light and Love in the world.
Celebrating your ever triumphant Free Spirit,
Rev. Patri
MAY’S THEME: SERVICE
Aloha Lovable Ones,
We need to view and love ourselves as an adoring mother would cherish her child. This isn’t selfish—it is self-love. It is imperative that we do this for the world treats us exactly as we treat ourselves. For many of us it has not been an easy journey to stand up for ourselves, refusing to abandon ourselves no matter what happens. However, I don’t think there is anything more important for if we don’t love and cherish ourselves we are thinking God made a mistake. We are made out of God-stuff and for this reason we are precious beyond measure. We may have to do some excavating to find our beautiful soul, but it’s worth it.
This month’s theme of service looks first at our habitual attitudes about ourselves and about life. Are they serving us? If they are, we will be able to mother our dreams and live the life we incarnated to live. If not, we will need to make some attitude adjustments.
I recently heard Malaak Compton Rock say, “Service is the rent we pay for living.” If we don’t value and honor ourselves, it is hard to realize how we can make a difference. The first act of service always begins within, honoring the God of our being. From this place we can step out in ever enlarging circles. When Oprah was honored a few years ago as Science of Mind’s Spiritual Hero of the Year, she shared her prayer that went something like this: “Take my talents and use me for a purpose greater than I am.”
I support you in serving the best in you and sharing your gifts with the world.
Honoring Precious You,
Rev. Patri
APRIL’S THEME: PATIENCE
Happy Springtime, Ever Evolving One,
As Easter ushers in thoughts of renewal, rebirth, resurrection, I reflect on these processes in my own life and in the life our center. There has been a continual cycle of beginnings and endings as we all grow. Ernest Holmes writes about this evolution in the chapter on Immortality in the Science of Mind:
We are born of eternal day, and the Spiritual Sun shall never
set upon the glory of the soul, for it is the coming forth of God
into self-expression. . . .Realizing this, we shall see in everyone
a budding genius, a becoming God, an unfolding soul, an
eternal destiny.
Knowing we are eternal spiritual beings we are less affected by appearances and the cycles in life. We are more peaceful and patient because we trust the process of life.
Nature is patient for it knows the season’s cycles. Before there is a rebirth, there must be a letting go—a dying to what was. The Christ in Jesus was undisturbed through all of the trials leading up to the resurrection for he knew it was all part of his accomplishing his mission of proving there is no death.
There is that within us that is patient for it knows Life is always working as planned. The more we know, really know, there is good in everything, it takes the impatience out of living. Patience is being connected to our True Self. We release the impatience to prove something about our worth or our purpose because we know who we are.
This month we will be focusing on 4th affirmation to realize our divine nature.* It fits with this idea of God eternally evolving in and as us:
I do believe that the true God is now working with me and through me and by me and for me, to make me a living demonstration of omnipresent,
omnipotent, omniscient goodness.
Join me on this journey this month to experience a deeper patience as we know the Holy I Am that we are can be trusted totally. I know for you a blessed time of joyfully coming home to the Truth that there is nothing to impatient about—Impatience is a should. Patience is an I Am! That’s definitely something to think about.
Celebrating our God, glorious magnificence,
Rev. Patri
~ ~ ~
MARCH’S THEME: COMMITMENT
Aloha Unlimited Expression of Life,
I have found the surest way to tap into our unlimited nature is to tell the Truth about who we are. Bold statements of Truth help us to remember. I have been sharing each month one of Emma Curtis Hopkin’s 12 Gates or evolutions in consciousness to realize our divine nature.* The first one is our foundation belief. What do we really believe about Life? The next one is knowing there is no opposition as material conditions to our true God. The third “gate” which we are focusing on for March starts out as follows:
God is all. God is the omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient good,
as life, truth, love, substance, intelligence. I am my own idea of
God, and I live and move and have my being according to my
idea of God. (See complete affirmations below.)
Since we live, move and have our being according to our idea of God, it is imperative to have a fabulously vast concept of the Infinite. If we don’t, Life will urge us to grow and expand into a greater concept of God and of ourselves. It’s not always comfortable. That’s when we have to be committed to our spiritual development no matter what.
What I have noticed is that the bigger the resistance and the firmer the resolve to grow, the greater release from the chains that have bound us. Two resolutions that facilitate this process are 1) letting the past go and living as fully as possible in this now moment
2) identifying with the greatness of our divine “I AM nature.” Ask for the grace—the givingness of Spirit to Its Creation—to assist you. Grace is always available but the more we recognize it, the more we feel its blessings.
Anytime your attention wants to dip to the past or appearances, try using this affirmation: I choose to believe in my Self as undefeatable, ever triumphant Free Spirit. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to be committed to the best in us. There are rewards all along the journey. Remember “The greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising each time we fall.”—Confusius. That’s commitment.
Here’s to rising and see expanded horizons within ourselves and in the world.
In Joyful Commitment,
Rev. Patri Hildreth
~ ~ ~
FEBRUARY’S THEME: NON-VIOLENCE
Aloha Precious Creation of Life,
I love, honor and appreciate the beautiful reflection of God that you are. Sometimes we find it easier to see others’ beauty and perfection than to see it in ourselves. In January I wrote that when we are critical of ourselves, we are dishonoring a precious part of God. We are purer vessels for God’s healing love to pour through us to others when we love and cherish ourselves.
On January 30 the 13th Annual Season for Non-Violence began. I started thinking about the importance of being non-violent towards ourselves. Here’s the Daily Reflection from Day 4:
DAY 4 Feb. 2: The thought for today is CARING. According to Peter McWilliams “Nonviolence toward the self is caring for oneself. Self love is a crowning sense of self worth; it is what the Greeks call reverence for the self.”
When I regard my life as a trust, I realize that the first resource I have to take care of is my own body. This can be startling! Even my body is not really my own - it belongs to life, and it is my responsibility to take care of it. Taking care of it is a demonstration of nonviolence.
Today: I will make a list of at least five ways that I can take care of myself, physically and/or mentally, and I will honor that list today through demonstration.
Season for Non-Violence has a daily reflection for each of the 64 days through April 3. Google “Season for Non-Violence” or visit agnt.org/snv2010/64days/DailyReflections.
In this month dedicated to Love and lovers, try being a little kinder to yourself and notice how much more peaceful your world becomes. Particularly try sending your love to those that you find hard to love or to see them as God’s creation. As Peace Pilgrim wrote years ago: The pure love of a few really dedicated people can offset the ill-effects of masses of out-of-harmony people, so we who work for peace must not falter.
With love and gratitude,
Rev. Patri Hildreth
~ ~ ~
JANUARY THEME: CONNECTION
A Joyous New Year to you,
I have so much to share with you from my life-changing experience of attending the Parliament of World Religions in Melbourne, Australia in early December. I am now truly a citizen of the world after meeting and sharing with people from so many countries and different faiths, all dedicated to making the world a better place. I will have to write a separate piece just on the Parliament. One of the highlights was getting to sing with the Agape International choir from Dr. Michael Beckwith’s church. Only 20 of their 200 members attended so we were invited to join them. I think our two musical performances really gave the attendees a great idea of what New Thought is.
In 2009 my one word focus was Connection and I ended the year with the greatest gift I could give myself—a greater awareness of Spirit’s Loving Presence. Here are 3 insights that I have embodied more completely. May they free you as they have freed me.
1) A God-centered life, refusing to judge by appearances, is the only
way to peace and freedom. I cannot live in two worlds as I
harmonize with that which I describe.
2) Praising all the time is seeing God/Good everywhere. Praising
in advance for the good we desire is particularly powerful.
Praise the good in our loved ones and praise the qualities
we’d like to see more of and we will see them.
(Examples: Praise God, I am healed in spirit, mind and body.
Praise God, I healed of all self-judgment. Praise God, I
no longer judge by appearances. Praise God, I am in my
right place, doing that which is mine to do. Share some of
your praises with me.)
3) When we are critical of ourselves, we are dishonoring a precious
part of God. We are purer vessels for God’s healing love to pour
through us to others when we love and cherish ourselves.
My focus for 2010 is Passion. I love the play on it: Pass-I-On. The more we experience our spiritual nature, the more light, love and peace we bring to the world. We’re focusing
on World Peace more at our services and I will get some of those prayers on the website. I include two short ones below.
My heart if filled with gratitude for the opportunity to pass on the Truths that continually set me free. May 2010 be a year of homecoming to your true, beautiful, glorious God Self.
With love and prayers for your happiness,
Rev. Patri Hildreth
~ ~ ~
DECEMBER THEME: WONDER
Happy Holidays,
How thankful I am for wonder-full you! I write this on Thanksgiving morning just before leaving for the airport. I will be attending the Parliament of World Religions in Melbourne, Australia with over 8,000 people from December 2-9. This year marks the first time all New Thought organizations have come together to have 1,000 attending the parliament. I’ll have much to share with you on December 13, the first Sunday I am back.
We have two great Truth students who will be speaking on the 29th and 6th: Katherine Kane, RScP and Dan Del Negro. See information on their talks and them elsewhere on the website.
On December 13th I will speak on “The Wonder Child” and Rev. Allan will help us celebrate a mini-candle lighting service for all those that might be traveling. Our 6th annual candle lighting service will be held on the 20th at our 11 AM service with sharing Christmas goodies afterward. On the 27th we’ll have our annual Burning Bowl ceremony as we release 2009 and set our intentions for 2010.
Have a blessed and joyous holiday season. You are in my heart always.
In Joy, Wonder, and Appreciation,
Rev. Patri Hildreth
~ ~ ~
NOVEMBER THEME: THANKFULNESS
How Thankful I am for you!
As I have said many times from the pulpit, the greatest gift of founding this church (besides all the wonderful people I have met) is the tremendous spiritual growth IT
--as in God as my Divine Self—has required of me. I am so thankful to be at this place of knowing more deeply than ever who I am as a spiritual being. WOW! Now that I see myself more clearly, I see your magnificence even more greatly. Bless you for being in my life!!!
I am so thankful for all the insights I have gotten as I have facilitated our current class on The Power of Decision. After 31 years of Science of Mind classes I feel like I am new student again as I am hearing Dr. Barker on a deeper level than ever before. So many statements are jumping out at me and have been life-changing: Here’s a couple:
All improvement is dependent upon you seeing yourself as being
greater than you are - p. 8
The feeling that it is great to be alive is a spiritual necessity. – p. 75
Throughout the book I am being reminded of the power of giving clear direction to our subconscious mind of the patterns and habits we are ready to be finished running. Enthusiasm about life and expectancy of greater good—being excited about life and living are essential to our spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health. I am more excited about life than I have ever been. Praise God for bringing me home!
I am so grateful and thankful to have the opportunity to teach and share these Truths that continually set me free. Thanks for being part of the journey. At the end of the month I travel to Melbourne, Australia to attend the World Parliament of Religions as part of the largest New Thought contingency to ever attend. I am definitely excited about that. Have a super month, focusing on all you have to be thankful for.
With a thankful heart,
Rev. Patri Hildreth
~ ~ ~
OCTOBER THEME: INTEGRITY
Aloha Precious Incarnation of the Divine,
Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. --Emerson
So many times we get stuck in living life as a series of problems to be solved. While it is true that we have challenges, we must not lose sight of the preciousness of our lives as incarnations of the Divine. Let’s look at everything we face as an opportunity to awaken and see life from our spiritual nature. The spiritual perspective, living life with self-integrity, changes everything. The rest of Emerson’s quote tells us how to do that:
Who so would be a man [a whole person], must be a non-conformist.
He/[she] who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by
the name of goodness, but explore if it be goodness. Nothing is at last
sacred but the integrity of your own mind.
In line with October’s theme of Integrity, we will explore being true to our “better natures”—our unlimited spiritual natures and look at all the places where we are out of integrity with ourselves. At our fun-filled Halloween service, the song “Real” is always sung. It’s about dropping our masks and being real. While it is fun to wear masks on that day, our whole teaching is about being authentic and living true to the best in us. Our current classes on the classic, Power of Decision, supports us in making decisions that support the best in us.
Honoring you as you are true to your Self,
Rev. Patri Hildreth
~ ~ ~
September 27, 2009: Spirit or Form--What's Your Decision?
Our natural nature is to research when we have a problem we want to solve. However, when we study form and get informed we get more attached to the form or the appearances. When we study Spirit, we get inspired so it behooves us to go within first and wait on Spirit's guidance first.
Spirit's inspiration leads us to creative answers and creative expression. It's our decision whether we want to focus on the spiritual Truth of ourselves and any situation or give our power to appearances and try to fix it ourselves. When we do the latter, we often get more stuck in the problem.
Our Music Director, Dan Del Negro, is a great example of what I mean. He says that is often feels like he is the scribe for Spirit when the songs flow out of him. Dan is just back from a New Thought Musician conference at Unity Village and will share briefly about his experience.
On the last Sunday after service we have a discussion on the month's theme. We will share about our progress and insights on September's theme of Decision.
Rev. Patri Hildreth
~ ~ ~
JULY THEME: LIBERTY
Aloha Unlimited One,
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
Whether we feel unlimited or bound, this is what I have learned. It’s usually been the experiences where I have felt the most limited and “imprisoned” so to speak that have urged me home to a greater awareness of my true freedom as a spiritual being.
Today I began celebrating Independence Day early. It’s the first time that I swam in the ocean since Labor Day. As most of you know, I broke my ankle last September and getting my strength and balance back enough to get past the breakers has taken it’s time.
Being immobilized for so long gave me plenty of time to connect with Spirit and tap into a liberty that is not affected by outer conditions.
Wherever we are, feeling liberated or limited, our Divine essence is always free. Embrace and call forth the good in every situation, knowing within it is the key to freedom.
Join us this month as we explore ideas from one of the most empowering books I have ever read, Spiritual Liberation, Fulfilling Your Soul’s Potential, by Michael Beckwith.
Celebrating our Free, Unlimited Spirits,
Rev. Patri Hildreth
~ ~ ~
MAY THEME: WEALTH
Aloha Divine Treasures,
Yes, that is exactly what we are, but many of us discount (or have discounted in the past) all the wonderful, intangible qualities that are our wealth and spiritual capital. The challenges I had with the seeming lack of prosperity didn’t end until I began valuing myself and really knowing my worth apart from anything outside of me.
I am so glad I am a Religious Scientist and know the teaching of Only One Power regardless of appearances. My heart goes out to everyone experiencing challenges related to the economy AND I see each one triumphing and coming home to the Inner Wealth that is not diminished by outer circumstances. When we know this, we are unstoppable and can give the gift that is ours to give in a much larger way.
All of these themes and more will be covered this month as I share from the book, Soul Currency, Investing your Inner Wealth for Fulfillmet & Abundance. The author, Rev. Ernie Chu, will be speak, May 24th , and give a 2 hour workshop. We will also be forming book study groups so let us know if you’re interested in participating.
Our organization, International Centers for Spiritual Living-ICSL, is taking the wealth of the Science of Mind teaching out into the world in a big way this summer with our first conference away from the Asilomar. It’s entitled, New Thought, New World, and will be in San Diego with keynote speakers Carolyn Myss and Byron Katie. Add your energy to this event in person or in consciousness as we step out and share with the world.. Check out the promotional video at _________ and get inspired.
I know this month we increase our awareness of our Unlimited Inner Wealth!
Abundant Blessings,
Rev. Patri
~ ~ ~
Aloha Unlimited One
Where the Passion of the Heart
Meets the Wisdom of the One Spirit in us all
