Select what is most spiritually inspiring to you, meditate upon it and work with it…
Let I Reinterpret Appearances
Select what is most spiritually inspiring to you, meditate upon it and work with it until it hears fruitage.
CONSCIOUS UNION WITH GOD, by Joel Goldsmith, Chapter Four
Important Related Chapters
THE ART OF MEDITATION by Joel Goldsmith Chapter XV
THE INFINITE WAY by Joel Goldsmith The New Horizon
THE ALCHEMY OF AWARENESS by Lorraine Sinkler Chapters 2, & 9
AWAKENING MYSTICAL CONSCIOUSNESS by Joel Goldsmith Chapter 7
THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE by Joel Goldsmith Chapter Eight
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“Awake Thou That Sleepest”
What is the appearance?
It’s the water on the road in the desert which seems to block our journey—we don’t try to change it, we just know it for what it is—an illusion—then we are free from further concern, and we continue on our way. We see through the picture, we get beyond the fear of the “evil” by knowing the truth about error. To reinterpret a “bad” appearance is to know the nature of error. Error is illusion, a hypnotic suggestion, born of a belief in two powers, whose essence is nothingness— no-thing-ness, and therefore has no power, no substance, no activity, no reality. Why? Because there is only one power, one presence, one activity, one knowledge and wisdom operating, and that is God, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and there is nothing else.
“Judge Not By Appearances, Judge Righteous Judgment”
Can any appearance be the truth, even if it’s a “good” appearance?
“Seek only Me.”
We don’t just see through the “bad” appearances but we must be quick to reinterpret the “good” appearances also. This is the lesson: Don’t accept daily appearances of good without spiritual reinterpretation. Reinterpretation is recognizing that the good is an effect of the Source, and the Source is God. God already is infinite good, and there is nothing outside of that infinite goodness, beauty and grace. We cannot ever be outside of God and Its Kingdom, because God is our being and all being. “The Lord God omnipotent reigneth,” “I Am That,” and so is my neighbor, be he “friend” or “foe”.
“My Kingdom Is Not Of This World”
“My Kingdom is not of this world” means My Kingdom is not of the “good” and not of the “evil” of this world—My Kingdom is the Kingdom of God within me, within my conscious awareness of God and the things of God.
“The Kingdom Of God Is Within Me”
We don’t have any techniques in The Infinite Way.
Self-discipline, trying to deny one’s self, putting on sackcloth and ashes is not the way. Yet there is a discipline. It is the discipline of looking through the appearance, penetrating beyond what we see with the eyes to what Is. In this way we learn not to react to an appearance, as we abide in that consciousness of the one Presence, and the one Activity unfolding ceaselessly and governing our life.
If you have difficulty reaching a point of inner silence, begin with some passage of scripture. Take something and think about it, contemplate it. Ask yourself, what does it really mean? As you do that an inner stillness comes. My favorite passage to work with is the first one ever given me: “I and my Father are One.” Abiding in that, contemplating that, being willing to sit without anything coming through, just being a listening state of receptivity, brought me to a point of conviction, of knowing this truth:
There is no separation between me and the Source of life, because we are One.
“Seek Only Me”
In your meditation seek only one thing: the conscious awareness of the Presence. Take the time to meditate, allow yourself frequent periods, and have those brief reminders to maintain the consciousness of the presence of God. Be still, and rest in the assurance of this truth: “God is living Its life as me, I am already fulfilled, already spiritually whole and Self-complete, needing nothing.” Let go of every problem, drop it all, “come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Dwell on that I within, get acquainted now with Him, and be at peace. Let us stop right now and have that experience of contemplating our oneness with the Father within, with the Presence, with the Source of all life, with the very I that I AM. Let go of all wanting and wishing, let go of the need to accomplish, let go of the desire to change the picture. Just be still now be at peace “Be still and know that I AM God”.