THREE GREAT TRUTHS




In song, prose and poetry Seekers have asked the question throughout history, “What is truth?”  I cannot say what truth is for you -- it is sometimes difficult and often impossible for me to say what truth is for me.  Yet, I do believe that if one earnestly seeks truth, works at it long enough, and is open to guidance, our personal list of truths expands.  This process also clarifies another truth – my truth may not be your truth. I share my truths with you not to suggest that they should become yours, only that they might serve you also.



1.    You will become what you think.

·         If you think fearful thoughts you will become frightened.

·         If your thoughts dwell on illness you will become sick.

·         If you think peaceful thoughts you will become a serene person.

·         If you think loving thoughts you become a warm, loving person.

·         If you think mean-spirited thoughts you become a hateful person.



Each of us has pessimistic, ugly or mean-spirited thoughts from time to time -- but we can choose not to entertain them and we can replace them!  The level of thought is the only place we have control over our own destiny.  Becoming what we think is the Law of Attraction manifested. The law of attraction states that we attract to ourselves that which we love and cherish or that which we fear and hate.  The “attractant” is our thought energy – the message is: Don’t put your energy into something you don’t want!



2.   Whatever you want in life, give it away.

·         If you want respect, give respect.

·         If you want cooperation, give cooperation.

·         If you want people to listen to you, listen to them.

·         If you want more love, give love away.

·         If you want more money, take all you can spare and without discrimination give it to someone who needs it more than you do.



If you have something you cannot give away, you don’t own it, it owns you!  To give anything away opens the channel for the inflow of more of the same.  The ancient pronouncements, “as you sow, so shall you reap” and “cast your bread on the water and it will be returned multiplied,” attest to the law of cause and effect.  If we give love at every opportunity we can surely expect it will be returned multiplied.  The same principle holds true for mean-spirited acts!



3.    We are in control of our own destiny.

If we accept and practice the first two Great Truths we can ignore fate and luck and can accept that where I am today is the result of past thoughts and actions.  I am responsible and I am in control of my future.

THE SUB-CONSCIOUS MIND




Perhaps one of Dr. Sigmund Freud’s greatest contributions to our knowledge about how the human mind works was his introduction to the concept of the sub-conscious mind.  I cannot recall who introduced me to the following expansion of the concept that makes a lot of sense to me: 

The sub-conscious mind, which influences conscious thought, is an “information pool” that does not have a drain - – we can only put information into it and can remove nothing.”

The media (newspapers, radio, television, magazines, etc.) in our present day culture bombard us with fear-based information that is in the very least negative –- more often it is violent, ugly, viscous; even horrendous.  This information in written, visual or audio form when we become conscious of it, becomes part of our sub-conscious pool. 

Let us now consider the positive/negative “ph” of our pool.  It is believed by many that there are far more love-based acts of kindness, compassion, gentleness and generosity, occurring on a regular basis, than there are fear-based ones.  However these stories are seldom reported in the media.  This imbalance creates a negative “ph” in our sub-conscious mind pool.  This imbalance makes daily inspirational reading much more valuable –- it is vital to regain some balance in our thinking.  The primary means of control in our lives is our thoughts. “The thought is father of the deed—we become what we think.”

A TRUE, LOVE-BASED INCIDENT TO REDUCE NEGATIVE “PH”                            

 A few days ago at a grocery Supermarket I picked up three items. I decided to use the automated personal checkout kiosk.  The total was less than $5.00.  I removed my money clip that also contained my personal and corporate credit cards, removed five dollars from the clip and ran it thorough the machine, took my receipt and left the store.

The next morning as I was going to fill my gas tank I discovered I did not have my money clip and credit cards.  I returned home and searched all the usual places where I might have left it to no avail.  I then began to search my memory for the last time is used the clip.  Incidentally, I do have “Senior Moments!!”  I immediately drove to the Supermarket, went to the customer service desk and told the attendant that I might have left my money clip and credit cards at the kiosk the previous day.  Moments later she handed me the clip and cards. Incidentally the money clip contained a $20.00 bill.              Bud Ham

THE RED DRESS


THE PARABLE OF THE RED DRESS
Gloria arose early and began her day by dressing for the most important meeting of her professional career.  The advertising company she founded twenty-five years earlier was flourishing.  On this much anticipated day she was meeting with the board of directors of a potential client.  If she and her assistant were successful in landing a contract it would be, by far, the largest in her career.  She was genuinely excited but not fearful.
She removed two of her favorite dresses from her closet –- a green one and a red one.  Both dresses were designed for a professional woman and she found them equally attractive.
She stood in front of a full length mirror as she held up each dress to help in decision making she asked the question, “Which one feels better?”  Very quickly she became aware that the green one felt better.
Gloria had no way of knowing that the president of the board of directors had a strong negative bias about any woman who wore red.   
During the meeting Gloria and her assistant were treated with attention, dignity and respect.  The president and the board were very pleased with the presentation and unanimously agreed to a lucrative, long term contract.
During the next several months Gloria and her employees met frequently with representatives of the new client.  The respect and admiration for Gloria and her team reflected the quality and effectiveness of their advertising campaign.  Six months into the contract the president was so impressed with the results that he scheduled a formal dinner to honor Gloria and her team.
On that fateful evening as Gloria dressed for the occasion the red dress felt better.  She wore it.  The bias the president had against women wearing red was changed forever.                                                            

Peace,

Bud 

A Course in Miracles --- Workbook for Students
Lesson 49  --  God’s voice speaks to me throughout the day.  It is quite possible to listen to God’s voice witho