A Call To Action…

Knowing Oakland, California, our USA and the world has been so challenged this year, it is not easy to wrap our minds around actions each of us may take to help bring our individual and collective lives into what we perceive as normal or spiritually powerful. I’d never seen such a worldwide stand against racism and oppression — that emerged as the Black Lives Matter movement swept the world. Nor have I witnessed droves of people stand together to bash windows, burn cars nor fight against people taking a stand for justice…

Moreover, I was astonished when our Centers for Spiritual Living took such a strong stand for A World Working For Everyone 2020! I began seeing CSL Spiritual Community members of different ethnicities initiating reading/discussion groups to upgrade their thinking, way of seeing and actions to take stands against systemic oppression toward themselves and others — by discussing such books such as:

White Privilege; Why Do All the Black Kids Sit together in the Cafeteria II; Readings for Diversity & Social Justice; The New Jim Crow, The Stain Glass Community.

It was when I read the founder of our Science of Mind philosophy, Dr. Ernest Holmes statements that I saw my current purpose and action:

“Use Prayer for myself and for our human family to transcend racism and stand for justice.”

Holmes said:

“While perfection is at the center of everything , the ages have built up a sense of disease and discord which has been transmitted from one person to another. It is lodged in the general race belief…”

Later Holmes challenges us saying:

“… everyone can not wait until the collective unconscious of the whole race is cleared up, everyone must break down the barriers which tie him to the race belief… s/he will not only be healing self… s/he will be contributing to the final redemption of the whole race/humanity”

I knew when I taught the Power of Your Word (POYW) class we would learn:

• to use Affirmative Prayer to help ourselves and the world- to transcend racist/oppressive beliefs ,thoughts and actions
• to affirming the Spiritual Truth so our inner light shines within and surrounding our  collective unconsciousness  

Now, twenty students, in my Fall 2020 POYW class are reading Ibram Kendi’s Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. As we talked about students experiences with the  book, I noticed the sorrow & pain several felt while listening to Kendi’s book as we dove into facts that have caused our Nation and the World to come face to face with racism, injustice and systemic oppression. In order for us to  transcend these devastating actions, I invited participants in the class to join me in recognizing these feelings are calls to action! A call to be prepared!

Yes, I am inviting all:

• Ground self before you read and keep emotionally distant
• Enter into the silence by allowing yourself to
• Be calm and accept the Eternal Spirit is surrounding you, protecting you, and guiding you
• Consider your purpose: You are engaging in this reading and the related discussions to become aware… of a way of thinking that has caused hurt, harm and death.
• Do not mentally integrate these ideas into your being. Rather, you are enabling yourself to see, to identify unconscious and misinformed data!
• Use poser of prayer to release, transform, and transcend errors, vibrations that are released into the atmosphere drawing to peace, harmony, systemic justice, unity, loving light, truth and joy!

Holmes insists: be aware of the Effect of Race Thought. He says “the cumulative experience of the whole race is lodged in the conscious of everyone and operates to everyone until a passageway is clear back to the mind to the spiritual presence which has never been affected by the race thought perfection is at the center of everything.”

I became concerned when I heard some were listening to the book. I Know listening may send feeling messages to your body:

• Causing you to feel sorrow, pain, and grief.
  • sparking your reptilian brain, near the back of your neck, to send messages of fight! flight! fear! die! to the cells, organs and thus dimming the energy within you.
• Being still and engaging the silence  before reading for awareness.
  • causing you to be aware and gain knowledge as the Eternal Life is guiding you  to think, feel and embrace your frontal lobe engages your higher and transforming consciousness.

An example of the transforming work being done in the class illustrates the power of this work. Practitioner Kimberly Satterfield’s Realization Stage of Spiritual Mind Treatment she writes:

“What I know to be the truth is that there are no superior human races. All are one — equal — despite apparent differences. God has not favored any human over another — Humans have forgotten or have chosen to ignore  “god” in all persons. Erroneous self-interests instead of true spiritual truths of oneness have plagued the planet forever leading to human bondage and its devastating effects and repercussions. I know as I am eternally connected to spirit, I will not be swept up permanently in these racist repercussions; I know this to be true for all. Blessed Be!!

One of the Participants in the POYW Class:

You prepare to embrace truth via argumentative prayer… by Michelle Blakley

“Rather than living in the “lala land” of spiritual bypass, we acknowledge what is facts… and move to transcend errors by arguing for the truth by changing and transcending errors of belief, feelings and thoughts by stating the facts, describing the feelings, thoughts, beliefs that no longer serve you nor serve others (groups of people or in the world) who have lived or are living ways of being that cause hurt, harm, and injustice.”

Holmes model for Prayer: HTUSOM p. 18, p50-51; p86-87

Issue Quote pages 109-110 Black Inferiority — Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia…“In reason… blacks/slaves are much inferior” pg. 109 “On this same stage he could never find that a black had uttered a thought above the level of plan narration; never saw an elementary trait of painting or sculpture”; “Religion has produced Phyllis Wheatly but it could not produce a poet” Pg. 109… “Their existence appears to participate more sensation than reflection.” pg. 110

Purpose

Affirm that all humans and souls are one, interconnected and equal to all and each other — oneness; We all come from the same source the One infinite creator; We are endowed with divine abundance, creativity, intelligence, goodness, transformation and empowerment.

Recognition

Rejoice! There is one God-Oneness. Divine Light, goodness, intelligence and inspiration flows from Oneness permeating, enveloping the universe and all sentient beings. All are one with God. There is only One. God’s divine energy and creation is the Source of All- Infinite. Yes!

Unification

Knowing in my heart that I am connected to Oneness, I am energy, light, and goodness. I know that I am always connected to spirit. The same is true for all my brethren — We are one. Creativity, and reflection connects all mankind to Oneness and its qualities. I know all that is needed is in Infinite Supply and I know this is true for all. God is always present.

Realization

What I know to be the truth is that there are no superior human races. All are one — equal — despite apparent differences. God has not favored any human over another — Humans have forgotten or have chosen to ignore the “god” in all persons. Erroneous self-interests instead of true spiritual truths of oneness have plagued the planet forever leading to human bondage and its devastating effects & repercussions. I know that if I am eternally connected to spirit, I will not be swept up permanently in these racist repercussions; I know this to be true for all. I know humans that are racist are not tuned in into their true nature of God/Oneness, but God is transformative — that’s good news! I know that black people (Africans, Indigenous etc.) since antiquity, have been and are intelligent, creative, connected to spirit not less-than and have been innovation’s first in many areas: science, medicine, arts, spirituality and engineering and may have not been credited in all instances. I know that any human regardless of their race, current or past behavior can access, utilize, manifest and demonstrate any God quality. Equality — this God quality I know can be manifested. Humans can transform. Stunningly powerful arguments and declarations of truth! Remember to keep statements in the Present Tense!

Thanksgiving

I give thanks to God, knowing that people of color, all people, we are loved, are whole perfect and complete. Yes!

Release

I release this word with love and confidence into the transformative power of God — the universe. Amen and So It is. Yes! Ase and Amen!

I am the place where God lives, moves and breathes and has its being

I am the place where God shows up.