 What to me defines the life of spiritual thinkers is the fresh and uplifting concept of progress. It draws on Life as purely spiritual - honoring and experiencing a power which is Love, simple and pure. Humanity's book The Bible is all about progress. From Genesis to Revelation it deals with people moving - moving out of slavery, out of limited life concepts, out of sickness and deprivation, ridicule and marginalization, moving out of small to great, to expansive --- to progressive. Bible people are also physically constantly on the move: They use camels, donkeys, chariots, boats, ships - if they don't walk, run, and wander, and move constantly. To the Christian Scientist, progress is very special - it is not about personal achievements or assessments how we are doing. Progress is divine and holy. Progress is the effect of Spirit, God on us. Our experience can progressively unfold Spirit, the only substance there is. In "Retrospection and Introspection" Mary Baker Eddy writes (pp. 27, 28), "The divine hand led me into a new world of light and Life, a fresh universe—old to God, but new to His 'little one.'" Here is the reason why progress is so special and why it is taking place - it is not building on material history, it is a progressive humble revelation of freshness, it is part of the adventure that everything is different than humanity thinks. In order to escape the story of desperation, the merry-go-round of daily life, the flood of global challenges, the threat of unstable political environments, environmental threats, corruption, competition, ignorance of basic human rights in many parts of the world and continued suppression of right motives and acts many people are struggling with, we can change perspective and have a fresh start in "the fresh universe." When I visited Iceland for the first time, I experienced a truly "fresh country" and realized for the first time what it means to breath totally clean air. I come from a country with high regard for sustainability and alternative energies - yet still, there was a difference. In Iceland, I could see as far as the horizon, as if someone had washed the air like laundry. I like to think of the spiritual air of God's universe in just the same way. All about freshness. And freshness is all about the present, right? When praying about a decision, I wondered how long it would take me to make it properly - a year? If a year, I wondered, why not a month? And if a month, why not a week? And if a week, why not a day? And if a day, why not an hour? And if an hour, why not now? Most often, I find, the time that passes by unused before a progressive step is taken, is not spend with weighing in the options. It is more postponing the one decision that is most often pretty clear from the outset. But we can leave the mental couch and start moving. Can we become faster in making good decisions? That is: fresher? And experience a fresh start sooner? Can we be more swift in moving forward by leaving behind character traits that are burdens rather an assets, along with old fears, or envy which we no longer need? Throwing out the stale and welcoming the fresh? Some years ago I wrote this poem which encourages me often to really expect the fresh start every day - well, why not say: Every minute? Good morning!  |
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In my work as Christian Science practitioner and writer I draw on listening to God and listening to people. 
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September 2024
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