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This issue begins with a short meditation on
Thanksgiving. Gratitude is such a powerful tool for growth and an
expression of recognition for the constant blessings we all receive -
regardless of outer appearances. We follow up with an essay by Ernest Holmes from Creative
Mind and Success. As you know, Ernest Holmes was the founder of the
Religious Science movement and one of the most significant figures of the 20th
century in living and espousing the power of thought. This particular
essay explores how to attain success in both the material and spiritual realms. We are also pleased to offer another thoughtful essay by Steve
Roberts entitled, "Gods Second-Favorite Holiday" - you'll have to read the
article to discover which holiday it is.
Steve is a regular
contributor to our newsletter and his new book, Cool Mind, Warm Heart -
Adventures With Life's Biggest Secret is available now on our
website and at booksellers everywhere. This month, we are offering a collection of thoughtful articles from
three different traditions: Christian with a selection from
Little Flowers of St. Francis; Buddhist with an excerpt from The
Dhammapada and the Yoga tradition with The Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali. I hope you find all three moving and enlightening. As always, you'll find a new spiritual poem and more new vegetarian recipes
to test during the holidays. Finally, in our continuing series of articles offering examples of the wisdom
contained in 12 step programs, we include in this issue an exploration of
the 8th step - Making Amends. As always, we are so grateful to all of you who visit our
website, and contribute through your generous donations, purchases, emails
and article submissions. Thank you for letting us share this issue
of our newsletter with
you.
William
Simpson
OUR CONDITIONS GOVERNED BY OUR THINKING IT
is easy for the average person to see how it is that mind can control, and
to a certain extent govern, the functions of the body. Some can go even
further than this and see that the body is governed entirely by
consciousness. This they can see without much difficulty, but it is not so
easy for them to see how it is that thought governs their conditions and
decides whether they are to be successes or failures. Here we will stop to ask the
question: If our conditions are not controlled by thought, by what, then,
are they controlled? Some will say that conditions are controlled by
circumstances. But what are circumstances? Are they cause or are they
effect? Of course they are always effect; everything that we see is an
effect. An effect is something that follows cause, and we are dealing with
causation only; effects do not make themselves, but they are held in place
by mind, not by causation. If this does not answer your
thought, begin over again and realize that behind everything that is seen is
the silent cause. In your life you are that cause. There is nothing
but mind, and nothing moves except as mind moves it. We have agreed that
while God is love, yet your life is governed absolutely by mind, or law. In
our lives of conditions we are the cause, and nothing moves except as our
mind moves it. The
activity of our mind is thought. We are always acting because we are always
thinking. At all times we are either drawing things to
us or we are pushing them away from us. In the ordinary individual this
process goes on without his ever knowing it consciously, but ignorance of
the law will excuse no one from its effects. "What," someone will say, "do
you think that I thought failure or wanted to fail?" Of course not. You
would be foolish to think that; but according to the law which we cannot
deny, you must have thought that failure might come, or in some way you gave
gave it entrance to your mind. Thinking back over the reason
for things, you will find that you are surrounded by a mind, or law, that
casts back at the thinker, manifested, everything he thinks. If this were
not true, man would not be an individual. Individuality can mean only the
ability to think what we want to think. If that thought is to have
power in our lives then there has to be something that will manifest it.
Some are limited and bound by law through ignorance. This law is sometimes
called "Karma," it is the law that binds the ignorant and gives freedom to
the wise.
We live in mind; and it can return to us only what we think into it. No
matter what we may do, law will always obtain. If we are thinking of
ourselves as poor and needy, then mind has not choice but to return what we
have thought into it. At first this may be hard to realize, but the truth
will reveal to the seeker that law could act in no other way. Whatever we
think is the pattern, and mind is the builder. Jesus, realizing this law,
said, "It is done unto you even as you have believed." Shall we doubt but
that this great Way Shower knew what he was talking about? Did He not say,
"It is done unto you." Nothing to worry about. "It is done unto you." With a
tremendous grasp of true spiritual thought, Jesus even called forth bread
from the ethers of life, and at no time did he He ever fail to demonstrate
that when one knows the truth he is freed by that knowledge.
UNCONSCIOUS CREATION There is nothing manifest but
that there is a cause for the manifestation. Investigation proves that
behind every condition, whether of body or environment, there has been some
thought, conscious or unconscious, which produced that condition. In the
case of this woman the thought was not conscious. But creation is going on
all the time; we should realize this and learn how to control it so that
there may be created for us the things that we desire and not those that we
do not want. Is it any wonder that the Bible says, "With all thy getting get
understanding"? Jesus understood all this, and
so it was no more effort for Him to do what He did than it is for us to
breathe or to digest our food. He understood, that is all. Because
Jesus did understand and did use these great laws with objective
consciousness, people thought He must be God. And when to-day something
unusual occurs, people think that a miracle has been performed. Jesus was
not God. He was a manifestation of God; and so are all people. "I say ye are
gods, and every one of you sons of the Most High." A thinking person will be
compelled to admit, in view of all this, that creation is first spiritual,
through mental law, and then physical in manifestation.
Man does not really create. He uses creative power that already is.
Relatively speaking, he is the creative power in his own life; and so far as
his thought goes, there is something that goes with it that has the power to
bring forth into manifestation that thing thought of. Hitherto men have used
this creative power in ignorance and so have brought upon themselves all
kinds of conditions, but today hundreds of thousands
are beginning to use these great laws of their being in a conscious,
constructive way. Herein lies the great secret of the New Thought movements
under their various names and cults and orders. All are using the same law
even though some deny to the others real revelation. We should get into an
attitude of mind wherein we should recognize the truth wherever we may find
it. The trouble with most of us is that unless we see sugar in a sugar bowl
we think it must be something else, and so we stick to our petty prejudices
instead of looking after principles.
FIRST STEPS THE
first thing to realize is that since any thought manifests it necessarily
follows that all thought does the same, else how should we know that the
particular thought we are thinking would be the one that would create? Mind
must not cast back all or none. Just as the creative power of the soil
receives all seeds put into it, and at once begins to work upon them, so
mind must receive all thought and at once begin to operate upon it. Thus we
find that all thought has some power in our lives and over our conditions.
We are making our environments by the creative power of our thought. God has
created us thus and we cannot escape it. By con- forming our lives and
thought to a greater understanding of law we shall be able to bring into our
experience just what we wish, letting go of all that we do not want to
experience and taking in the things we desire. Every person is surrounded by
a thought atmosphere
This mental atmosphere is the direct result of thought which in its turn
becomes the direct reason for the cause of that which comes into our lives.
Through this power we are either attracting or repelling. Like attract like
and we attract to us just what we are in mind. It is also true that we
become attracted to something that is greater than our previous experience
by first embodying the atmosphere of our desire. Every business, every place,
every person, everything has a certain mental atmosphere of its own. This
atmosphere decides what is to be drawn to it. For instance, you never saw a
successful man who went around with an atmosphere of failure. Successful
people think about success. A successful man is filled with that subtle
something which permeates everything that he does with an atmosphere of
confidence and strength. In the presence of some people we feel as though
nothing were too great to undertake; we are uplifted; we are inspired to do
great things, to accomplish; we feel strong, steady, sure. What a power we
feel in the presence of big souls, strong men, noble women! Did you ever stop to inquire
why it is that such persons have this kind of effect over you while others
seem to depress, to drag you down, and in their presence you feel as though
life were a load to carry? One type is positive, the other negative. In
every physical respect they are just alike, but one has a mental and
spiritual power which the other does not have, and without that power the
individual can hope to do but little.
Which of these two do we like the better? With which do we want to
associate? Certainly not the one that depresses us; we have enough of that
already. But what about the man who inspires us with our own worth? Ah, he
is the man we will turn to every time. Before ever we reach him, in our
haste to be near, even to hear his voice, do we not feel a strength coming
to meet us? Do you think that this man who has such a wonderful power of
attraction will ever want for friends? Will he ever have to look up a
position? Already so many positions are open to him that he is weighing in
his mind which one to take. He does not have to become a success; he already
is a success. Thoughts of failure, limitation
or poverty are negative and must be counted out of our lives for all time.
Somebody will say, "But what of the poor; what are you going to do with
them; are they to be left without help?" No; a thousand times no. The same
power is in them that is in all men. They will always be poor until they
awake and realize what life is. All the charity on earth has never done away
with poverty, and never will; if it could have done so it would have done
so; it could not, therefore it has not. It will do a man a thousand times
more good to show him how to succeed than it will to tell him he needs
charity. We need not listen to all the calamity howlers. Let them howl if it
does them any good. God has given us a power and we must use it. We can do
more toward saving the world by proving this law than all that charity has
ever given it.
Right here, in the manifold world to-day, there is more money and provision
than the world can use. Not even a fraction of the wealth of the world is
used. Inventors and discoverers are adding to this wealth every day; they
are the real people. But in the midst of plenty, surrounded by all the gifts
of heaven, man sits and begs for his daily bread. He should be taught to
realize that he has brought these conditions upon himself; that instead of
blaming God, man or the devil for the circumstances by which he is
surrounded, he should learn to seek the truth, to let the dead bury their
dead. We should tell every man who will believe what his real nature is;
show him how to overcome all limitations; give him courage; show him the
way. If he will not believe, if he will not walk in the way, it is not our
fault, and have done all we can, we must go our way. We may sympathize with
people but never with trouble, limitation or misery. If people
still insist on hugging their troubles to themselves, all the charity in the
world will not help them. Remember that God is that
silent power behind all things, always ready to spring into expression when
we have provided the proper channels, which are receptive and positive faith
in the evidence of things not seen with the physical eye but eternal in the
heavens. All is mind, and we must
provide a receptive avenue as it passes out through us into the outer
expression of our affairs. If we allow
the world's opinion to control our thinking, then that will be our
demonstration. If, on the other hand, we rise superior to the world, we
shall do a new thing. Remember that all people are
making demonstrations, only most of them are making the ones they can make
with their present powers of perception.
WHAT WE WILL ATTRACT WE
will always attract to us, in our lives and conditions, according to our
thought. Things are but outer manifestations of inner mental concepts.
Thought is not only power; it is also the form of all things. The conditions
that we attract will correspond exactly to our mental pictures. It is quite
necessary, then, that the successful business man should keep his mind on
thoughts of happiness, which should produce cheerfulness instead of
depression; he should radiate joy, and should be filled with faith, hope and
expectancy. These cheerful, hopeful attitudes of mind are indispensable to
the one who really wants to do things in life. Put every negative thought out
of your mind once and for all. Declare your freedom. Know no matter what
others may say, think or do, you are a success, now, and nothing
can hinder you from accomplishing your good. All the power of the universe
with with you; feel it, know it, and then act as though it were true. This
mental attitude alone will draw people and things to you. Begin to blot out, one by one,
all false beliefs, all ideas that man is limited or poor or miserable. Use
that wonderful power of will that God has given you. Refuse to think failure
or to doubt your own power. See only what you wish to
experience, and look at nothing else. No matter how many times the old
thought returns, destroy it by knowing that it has no power over you; look
it squarely in the face and tell it to go; it does not belong to you, and
you must know -- and stick to it -- that you are now free. Rise up in all the faith of
one who knows what he is dealing with, and declare that you are one with
Infinite Mind. Know you cannot get away from this Mind; that wherever you
may go, there, right beside you, waiting to be used, is all the power there
is in the universe. When you realize this you will know that in union with
this, the only power, you are more than all else, you are
more than anything that can ever happen to you. The man who can control his
thought can have and do what he wishes to have and to do; every-thing is his
for the asking. He must remember that whatever he gets is his to use but not
to hold. Creation is always flowing by and we have as much of it as we can
take and use; more would cause stagnation.
The Conscious Living Foundation has just released its recording of one
of Ernest Holmes most famous books, "Creative Mind and Success".
To learn more about the recording and hear several FREE selections on such
topics as: - How to attract friends Just click
Here. If you enjoy our inspirational stories and articles, be sure to visit
our website for more: Essay:
God's Second-Favorite Holiday by Steve
Roberts
While our kids, for a few
hours on this singular day,
pretend to be some variation
of either ghosts, corpses,
princesses, superheroes, or
three-eyed blood-sucking
monsters with bad hair, most
of us (over the age of, say,
12) spend just about every
hour of every day pretending
to be…well, you name it:
doctors, lawyers and Indian
chiefs, Mr. Omnipotent, Ms.
Responsible, the keeper of
righteousness, a worthless
slug, not to mention
helpful, friendly,
courteous, kind, loyal and
thrifty—and who could forget
“socially responsible”…and
cool.
When I say “pretending,” I
don’t mean we’re phony.
We’ve just allowed ourselves
to forget that the majesty
of who we are is beyond any
identity we can imagine.
Consider how many of us
approach retirement in
terror at the prospect of
relinquishing a worldly role
to which we have become,
frankly, addicted.
Another everyday example of
how masks can kill is the
almost universal intolerance
for women to cry in the
workplace. A New York Times
story on the subject pointed
to an incident on the
television program
“Apprentice: Martha
Stewart.” A young woman
whose team had just lost a
contest confessed that she
felt like crying. “Cry and
your out of here,” Martha
shot. “Women in business
don’t cry, my dear.”
But what was Martha really
saying?
My story is: “Don’t be
yourself. Suppress. Deny.
Separate from your
feelings. Don’t trust your
own experience. Never allow
emotions to influence your
behavior. I’m afraid of my
feelings, so you can be sure
I’m not making room for
yours.” And so forth.
Sound familiar?
When our children act goofy
and we tell them to “grow
up,” how much are we really
telling them to stop
growing, stop changing, stop
finding their own way, stop
experimenting—and instead
act in a manner that is
comfortable for us (i.e.,
doesn’t frighten us)? How
much are we telling them,
“Kid, wear a mask.”?
On the TV drama “Grey’s
Anatomy,” one of the
characters, a world-class
surgeon facing a potentially
career-ending injury, held
up his hands and said,
“These are who I am.” No
surprise the Buddha advised
that all suffering is the
result of attachment.
Simone Weil put it more
poetically: “The intelligent
man who is proud of his
intelligence is like the
condemned man who is proud
of his large cell.”
I don’t know about you, but
it seems that my entire life
has been designed to teach
me again and again that I’m
not remotely whoever it is I
think I am. Sure, there are
things I do and roles I
play, but so far as I can
tell not a single one of
them (not even man,
American, husband, or dad)
is any more me than being
the maitre d’ of Cannibal
Island.
My guess is the universe
orchestrated Halloween to
remind us to treat our many
masks as children do on this
delightful holiday—as play
things to enjoy—and to
remember what’s under them.
After all, it’s not the
masks themselves that are
dangerous. It’s our
mistaking them for the real
us—a being of unlimited
possibility. To find out more about Steve, see examples
of his stone sculptures or read a chapter from his book, click
Here. Steve Roberts is the author of
Cool Mind Warm Heart, a collection of essays, stories, and
photographs of stone sculptures he builds on his Vermont farm. He
can be found on the web at CoolMindWarmHeart.com and at
TheHeartOfTheEarth.com. If you enjoy our inspirational stories and articles, be sure to visit
our website for more:
The Conscious Word is an
email newsletter sent directly to you each day. Each issue contains
an inspirational affirmation designed to help uplift your spirits and
support your conscious efforts at personal and spiritual growth and
development.
By practicing the
affirmation which we email to you, for 3 to 4 minutes a day, you create an
effective tool that will help you experience an ongoing positive change in
your life.
We all
“know” many things. However, “knowing” something, in and of itself,
does not make it “true” to us. We can read all about oranges; we can
look at pictures of oranges and we can talk to people who have eaten
oranges. But, until we taste the orange ourselves, we do not truly
understand the full truth about what an orange is. Likewise, we
can experience the “truth”, the real nature, of many more subtle and
essential concepts by “tasting” them. One of the capabilities of an
affirmation is to provide us with a “taste” of the subject matter of the
affirmation. However,
something else is also at work in an affirmation. One of the secrets
of the universe is that when a human believes something is so, it becomes
what he or she believes. Jesus said
“Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith and doubt not, ye shall not only
do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this
mountain, `Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea,' it shall be
done. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing,
ye shall receive.” (Book of Matthew verses 21 and 22) The key
words in this quote are “If ye have faith and doubt not..” and “all things
whatsoever ye shall ask believing..” Jesus is
describing this receptivity of the universe to human belief.
However, there are requirements for this belief to be effective.
Jesus says we must have “faith” without doubt and that we must “believe”
as we ask. James
Allen’s famous premise “As a man Thinketh, so it is” expresses this same
truth. In essence,
when we become utterly convinced of the truth of something, which means we
have absolutely no doubts about it, the universe will be molded and shaped
to match our conviction. The challenging part is to find a way to
become convinced of something that is not yet actualized. To
cultivate our faith. This is where affirmations can help. By taking a
thought or collection of thoughts and impressing them deeply upon the mind
with persistence and concentration, a conviction can be
cultivated. Developing our own personal convictions, especially
about ourselves, and then deepening and persisting in those convictions is
a major key to our health, happiness and success in life. For More Information and A Two Week Free Trial, Click
Here. Looking for a unique gift for the holidays?
Consider gift subscriptions to The Conscious Word. For more
information, click
Here. Let us rejoice for the families who have gathered
this Thanksgiving to express their thanks and to celebrate the
bounty of their lives. Let us join together in support of those whose
families are far away, with distances in many forms. Let us hold one another in gentle reverence this
holiday of Thanksgiving for we are here to celebrate, to worship, to
be thankful for what we have. We have had life newborn among us this year that
will carry our legacy into the future. We have had death among us this year that has
given us tears of sorrow and yesterdays to remember. We have had illnesses, accidents, and surgeries
among us this year that have reminded us of the fragileness of our
lives. We have had marriages, reunions, reconciliations.
And, we have had, and still do have, our Beloved Community, our
religious home where we come together in love and compassion. For all these things, we give thanks this day.
Let us be silent together. So Be It. In our attempt
to offer new products and services which support your efforts at personal and
spiritual growth, The Conscious Living Foundation is now offering for the first
time, tours and pilgrimages to various parts of the world. Our first
effort in this direction, is the following collection of escorted tours to
India: Tour No. 1 - Exotic
India:
Nowhere
on Earth does humanity present itself in such a dizzying, creative burst of
cultures and religions, races and tongues. Every aspect of the country presents
itself on a massive, exaggerated scale, worthy in comparison only to the
superlative mountains that overshadow it. Visit - DELHI – AGRA –
JAIPUR – JODHPUR -MANVAR– DELHI- -KOLKATA (formerly
Calcutta) The Exotic India escorted
tour features 4 and 5 star hotels, to give you a taste of the
Raj. Next Exotic India Escorted Tour: February 10 -
24, 2007 For a complete itinerary and
details, click
Here. Tour No. 2 - Pilgrimage To India - A Journey of the
Heart:
You will thrill at seeing
the lofty Himalayan mountains and you will blissfully float on the ancient holy
Ganges River, but even greater experiences await you! On this soul-etching
pilgrimage, you will soar in gratitude as you take the dust of Babaji’s Cave or
sit under the litchi tree where The Master taught on the sacred grounds of
Ranchi. Your heart will know the grandeur of immersion in lofty thoughts
of The Great Ones as you visit the spots hallowed by Them, and you will be
floating in joy each time you give your heart in stillness to the spiritual
vibrations that abound in these holy places. If you are wanting a
spiritual boost or a new beginning, this journey of the heart is a trip of a
lifetime, and for many the pilgrimage experience gives a new perspective on
their spiritual life; it is a dream fulfilled for those wanting to say with The
Guru ‘…I am hallowed, my body touched that sod.” Next Pilgrimage: Jan.
13 - Feb. 10, 2007 There are 2, 3 and 4 week itineraries
available. Click
Here for details.
Welcome to Conscious
Living, our newsletter designed to share our current activities
and growth, along with articles and information that we hope will be
supportive and encouraging in your efforts to live each moment with more
joy and satisfaction.
Director
Essay: Creative Mind and Success (excerpt)
by Ernest Holmes
- An affirmation on love
- The power of words
- Old age and opportunity
- Money as a spiritual idea
- How to know just what to do
- Developing Intuition
- What we will attract
Articles on Personal Growth, Health and Positive
Change - Click
Here.
Inspiring Stories - Click
Here.
Affirmations - Click
Here.
Spiritual Poems - Click
Here.
Halloween
is God’s second-favorite
holiday. That’s my story,
anyway. Valentine’s Day is
number one, of course, since
it is a celebration of love,
the impetus behind every
healthy choice we make.
Halloween is a celebration
of the fears we must move
through to make that
choice. Specifically,
Halloween commemorates the
masks we wear because we are
afraid of embracing our true
self—a being of unlimited
possibility.
Articles on Personal Growth, Health and Positive
Change - Click
Here.
Inspiring Stories - Click
Here.
News: The Conscious Word
is Now Available With A 2 Week FREE Trial
Thanksgiving Meditation by Elizabeth
Strong
It is impossible
not to be astonished by India. Experience luxurious palaces and
romantic desert tents, chauffeurs and rickshaws, colorful bazaars and ancient
forts, timeless observatory technology, temples, turbans, tribal dances and
regional folk music, historic architecture, Mughal art, exquisite jewelry,
sumptuous fabrics, incredible handicrafts, exotic foods, - the culture, the
people, the land of Incredible India – it is all there for you to experience on
your Exotic India tour!
(We are also
planning our next escorted Exotic India tour for the fall of 2007, check back
for details.)
Recommended
for those who wish to experience the spiritual side of India at it’s best.
Focusing exclusively on reverential visits to the places associated with the
great Guru Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda and His spiritual lineage, this journey
of the heart takes you to northern India to visit many of the places described
in the spiritual classic “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahansa
Yogananda.
NOTE:
This fall’s Pilgrimage to India will be very special because it will include an
historic event at the YSS
Ranchi Ashram during
their Sharad Sangam (Convocation). An expansive new YSS temple will be
inaugurated during the week of classes and festivities. It is anticipated
that at least
one of the SRF Board of Directors will be going to India to dedicate the
beautiful new temple on the YSS Ranchi Ashram grounds during the Sharad
Sangam.
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By helping us, you are supporting the spiritual growth of the tens of thousands of people from all over the world, who regularly visit our website.
Click Here for more information. Thank you!
|
Essay:
The Little Flowers of St. Francis (a selection)
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The first companion of St Francis was Brother Bernard of Assisi, who was converted in the following way: St Francis had not yet taken the religious habit, though he had renounced the world, and had so given himself to penance and mortification that many looked upon him as one out of his mind. He was scoffed at as a madman, was rejected and despised by his relations and by strangers, who threw stones and mud at him when he passed; yet he went on his way, accepting these insults as patiently as if he had been deaf and dumb. Then Bernard of Assisi, one of the richest and most learned nobles of the city, began to consider deeply the conduct of St Francis; how utterly he despised the world, how patiently he suffered injuries, and how his faith remained firm, though he had been for two years an object of contempt and rejected by all. He began to think and say within himself, “It is evident that this brother must have received great graces from God”; and so resolved to invite him to sup and to sleep in his house. St Francis having accepted the invitation, Bernard, who was resolved to contemplate the sanctity of his guest, ordered a bed to be prepared for him in his own room, where a lamp burned all night. Now St Francis, in order to conceal his sanctity, so soon as he entered the room, threw himself upon the bed, pretending to fall asleep. Bernard likewise soon after went to bed, and began to snore as if sleeping soundly. On this, St Francis, thinking that Bernard was really fast asleep, got up and began to pray. Raising his hands and eyes to heaven, he exclaimed with great devotion and fervour, “My God! my God!” at the same time weeping bitterly; and thus he remained on his knees all night, repeating with great love and fervour the words, “My God! my God!” and none others.
And this he did because, being enlightened by the Holy Spirit, he contemplated and admired the divine majesty of God, who deigned to take pity on the perishing world, and to save not only the soul of Francis, his poor little one, but those of many others also through his means. For, being enlightened by the Holy Ghost, he foresaw the great things which God would deign to accomplish through him and through his Order; and considering his insufficiency and unworthiness, he prayed and called upon the Lord, through his power and wisdom, to supply, help and accomplish that which of himself he could not do.
Then Bernard, seeing by the light of the lamp the devout actions of St Francis and the expression of his countenance, and devoutly considering the words he uttered, was touched by the Holy Spirit, and resolved to change his life. Next morning, therefore, he called St Francis, and thus addressed him: “Brother Francis, I am disposed in heart wholly to leave the world, and to obey thee in all things as thou shalt command me.” At these words, St Francis rejoiced in spirit and said, “Bernard, a resolution such as thou speakest of is so difficult and so great an act, that we must take counsel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and pray to him that he may be pleased to show us what is his will, and may teach us to follow it. Let us then go together to the Bishop’s palace, where we shall find a good priest who will say Mass for us. We will then remain in prayer till the third hour, imploring the Lord to point out to us the way he wishes us to select, and to this intent we will open the Missal three times.” And when Bernard answered that he was well pleased with this proposal, they set out together, heard Mass, and after they had remained in prayer till the time fixed, the priest, at the request of St Francis, took up Missal, then, having made the sign of the holy cross, he opened it three times, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The first place which he lit upon was at the answer of Christ to the young man who asked of him the way to perfection: If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell all that thou hast and give to the poor, and come, follow me. The second time he opened at the words which the Saviour addressed to the Apostles when he sent them forth to preach the Word of Truth: Take nothing with you for your journey: neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; wishing to teach them thereby to commit the care of their lives to him, and give all their thoughts to the preaching of the Holy Gospel. When the Missal was opened a third time they came upon these words: If any one will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Then St Francis, turning to Bernard, said: “This is the advice that the Lord has given us; go and do as thou hast heard; and blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ who has pointed out to thee the way of his angelic life.” Upon this, Bernard went and sold all that he had. Now he was very rich, and with great joy he distributed his wealth to widows, to orphans, to prisoners, to monasteries, to hospitals, and to pilgrims, in all which St Francis assisted him with prudence and fidelity.
Now it happened that a man of the name of Silvester, seeing how St Francis gave so much money to the poor, being urged on by avarice, went to him and said: “Thou didst not pay me enough for the stones I sold thee to repair the church; now that thou hast money, pay me what thou owest.” St Francis, much surprised at such a demand, but, according to the precepts of the Scriptures, not wishing to dispute with him, gave it to Silvester, saying that, if he wanted more, he would give it to him. Silvester, being satisfied, returned home; but in the evening of the same day he reflected on his avarice, and on the holiness and the fervour of St Francis. That night also he saw St Francis in a vision, and it seemed to him as if a golden cross came out of his mouth, which reached up to heaven and extended to the extreme east and west. After this vision he gave all he possessed to the poor, for the love of God, and made himself a Brother Minor. He became so holy, and was favoured with such special graces, that he spake with the Lord as a friend speaks with a friend, of which St Francis was often a witness, as we shall see further on. Bernard likewise received from God many graces - he was ravished in contemplation, and St Francis said he was worthy of all reverence, and that he had founded the Order, because he was the first who had abandoned the world, giving all he possessed to the poor of Christ, keeping back nothing for himself; and practising evangelical poverty, placing himself naked in the arms of the Crucified, whom may we all bless eternally. Amen.
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Control of the mind by the Soul, like
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of Kundalini Yoga was veiled in heavy secrecy.
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