Moving our attention from the things of the ego to the peace of God.

Allegiance to the denial of God is the ego’s religion. The god of sickness obviously demands the denial of health, because health is in direct opposition to its own survival. But consider what this means to you. Unless you are sick you cannot keep the gods you made, for only in sickness could you possibly want them. Blasphemy, then, is self-destructive, not God-destructive. It means that you are willing not to know yourself in order to be sick. This is the offering your god demands because, having made him out of your insanity, he is an insane idea. He has many forms, but although he may seem to be many different things he is but one idea;–the denial of God. T-10.V.3:1-8

Schucman, Dr. Helen. A Course in Miracles (p. 349). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The ego has a stake in denying the non dual Oneness of God for becoming aware of the non dual awareness of God of which we are a part the ego would no longer exist. The ego has a big incentive in continuing to seduce us with the things it offers enticing us with the hope that those things will make us happy. Not only do the things the ego offers us fail to make us happy, but they keep us from realizing the one thing that will: giving up the things of the ego and becoming one with the non dual Oneness, our Transcendent Source.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us join together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning and this search takes us inward in search of the peace of God not outward in search of happiness offered by the things of the ego.

This search occurs in meditation and mindfulness. We can take time every day to withdraw our attention from the things of the ego and focus it on the peace of God. This can occur for a prolonged period of time or momentarily several times per day.

To what extent do you see the Divine Spark in others?

Do not forget, however, that to deny God will inevitably result in projection, and you will believe that others and not yourself have done this to you. You must receive the message you give because it is the message you want. You may believe that you judge your brothers by the messages they give you, but you have judged them by the message you give to them. Do not attribute your denial of joy to them, or you cannot see the spark in them that would bring joy to you. It is the denial of the spark that brings depression, for whenever you see your brothers without it, you are denying God. T-10.V.2:1-5

Schucman, Dr. Helen. A Course in Miracles (p. 349). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

When we deny God we project our fears onto others in a multitude of forms. The failure to see the Divine Spark in others leaves us depressed and forsaken. If we would experience love we have to share it.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us join together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person by seeing the Divine Spark in each person we interact with and think of. This perception of the Divine Spark in each person gives rise to peace and bliss.

The practice of Unitarian Universalism involves searching for the goodness in each person we meet. In Alcoholic Anonymous they say, “Take the best and leave the rest.” When we find the goodness it is good to acknowledge it, celebrate it, and express gratitude for the golden nugget we have found.

The seventh skill of spiritual intelligence according to Cindy Wigglesworth is the awareness of the worldview of others. This skill involves developing curiosity about the beliefs, values, opinions, practices, history, and traditions of those who come from cultures different from our own. The practice of the platinum rule is “Do unto others as they would have you do unto them.” To what extent do you know about and understand the religious beliefs of other faith traditions?

What makes you tick?

The rituals of the god of sickness are strange and very demanding. Joy is never permitted, for depression is the sign of allegiance to him. Depression means that you have forsworn God. Many are afraid of blasphemy, but they do not understand what it means. They do not realize that to deny God is to deny their own Identity, and in this sense the wages of sin is death. The sense is very literal; denial of life perceives its opposite, as all forms of denial replace what is with what is not. No one can really do this, but that you can think you can and believe you have is beyond dispute. T-10.V.1:1-7

Schucman, Dr. Helen. A Course in Miracles (p. 348). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The ego is so stupid. It attempts the impossible which is to get the person to deny their Transcendent Source. How can a person be made out of nothing? How stupid does the ego  think we are? We are an extension of our Transcendent Source and to deny our TS is to deny our very self. Now that is depressing.  We think we can deny our TS and author our own existence but this is impossible and to think we could do this is just stupid.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us join together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person which is a very wise appraisal. UUs know whence they have been created and to where they return from their free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

The first skill in spiritual intelligence according to Cindy Wigglesworth in her book The Twenty One Skills Of Spiritual Intelligence is “awareness of one's own world view.” Do you know what makes you tick? Do you understand the social, psychological, biological and spiritual factors that have contributed to your consciousness? Some people are much more self aware than others. What are the resources that contribute to your self awareness on a daily basis and have helped you become self aware throughout the course of your life? Name them and share your awareness with another human being.

Are you living up to your highest ideals?

In many only the spark remains, for the Great Rays are obscured. Yet God has kept the spark alive so that the Rays can never be completely forgotten. If you but see the little spark you will learn of the greater light, for the Rays are there unseen. Perceiving the spark will heal, but knowing the light will create. Yet in the returning the little light must be acknowledged first, for the separation was a descent from magnitude to littleness. But the spark is still as pure as the Great Light, because it is the remaining call of creation. Put all your faith in it, and God Himself will answer you. T-10.IV.8:1-7

Schucman, Dr. Helen. A Course in Miracles (p. 348). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The great gospel song, This Little Light Of Mine’s, first lyric is “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,” The Divine Spark is in each one of us and when we recognize and acknowledge that Divine Spark within us, we not only can let it shine, but we can fan the spark to flame and “Great Rays” manifest.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us join together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person which is inherent in the Divine Spark within. When we recognize the Divine Spark in ourselves we see it also in other people. In Matthew 5:15 Jesus says, Neither does a person light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

To what extent do you look for and listen to your higher self setting the ego aside? Socrates said that an unexamined life is not worth living. Are you living an examined life? Do you take time everyday to examine your conscience and ascertain to what extent you are living up to your highest ideals? This awareness of your ego self and your higher self is one of the 21 skills of spiritual intelligence. The examination of conscience is an important daily spiritual practice.

Time for renewal of spirituality in UU.

It is a time for a renewal of spirituality in Unitarian Universalism. For too long Unitarian Universalism has abandoned its function of nurturing spiritual development in favor of social justice agendas. An awareness of Unitarian Universalism and other religions' basic function in society, to nurture and facilitate the development of spiritual intelligence, is long overdue. Join us at UU A Way of Life as we pursue the development of the main purpose of religion in society.

Look for the Divine Spark in others.

The miracle is the act of a Son of God who has laid aside all false gods, and calls on his brothers to do likewise. It is an act of faith, because it is the recognition that his brother can do it. It is a call to the Holy Spirit in his mind, a call that is strengthened by joining. Because the miracle worker has heard God’s Voice, he strengthens It in a sick brother by weakening his belief in sickness, which he does not share. The power of one mind can shine into another, because all the lamps of God were lit by the same spark. It is everywhere and it is eternal. T-10.IV.7:1-6

Schucman, Dr. Helen. A Course in Miracles (pp. 347-348). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

Peace Pilgrim said that when she met other people she would look for the Divine Spark in them and then focus on that. Together, joining with another, the spark bursts into flame and the miracle is manifest in the world.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us join together to affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and the encouragement to spiritual growth. The acceptance is based on the faith in the Divine Spark in every person we meet, and the nurturance of spiritual growth is in encouraging the awareness of the miracle of Atonement or the understanding that we are all one with our Creator as the Universalists taught us.

To what extent is there an understanding in yourself and in your congregation about the unconditional love of God? Are there practices which manifest this understanding? To what extent is there a sense of purpose that motivates one’s life and work with others to bring about the salvation of humankind from the wiles and snares of the ego world?

Experiencing the no thing of the All, the non dual Oneness.

When you have experienced the protection of God, the making of idols becomes inconceivable. There are no strange images in the Mind of God, and what is not in His Mind cannot be in yours, because you are of one mind and that mind belongs to Him. It is yours because it belongs to Him, for to Him ownership is sharing. And if it is so for Him, it is so for you. His definitions are His laws, for by them He established the universe as what it is. No false gods you attempt to interpose between yourself and your reality affect truth at all. Peace is yours because God created you. And He created nothing else. T-10.IV.6:1-7

A Course in Miracles (p. 347). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

When we experience the non dual Oneness, the cosmic consciousness, we don’t want the idols of the world of the ego. We have an experience of peace and bliss and the eternal now. We experience being one with God our Creator of which we are an extension.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us covenant together to affirm and promote a love for the interdependent web of all existence which is beyond our understanding or apprehension. The love of God’s creation is beyond understanding and yet we can remove the blocks to the awareness of this love when we eschew the idols of the ego. This is done in meditation when we relax into the no thing of the All.

Some of us set aside times during our days to meditate. In meditation we remind ourselves from whence we have come and to which we yearn to return, our true home with our creator.

To what extent do Unitarian Universalists have a meditation practice? Is meditation taught in our congregations? Is meditation encouraged? Are UU clergy and other leaders skilled in accessing the Transcendent Oneness?