As we enter the New Year, let us make a commitment to do so putting God first in our minds and hearts. The turn of the year is the perfect time to make a change, find a new direction if one is calling, or take on beliefs and practices that truly serve us. There is a sense of newness in the air, a shift in energy as the days begin to get longer and brighter.
Perhaps you desire better health or prosperity; deeper loving relationships; a closer walk with God. However the desire for greater happiness, fulfilment or spiritual awakening is calling you, together we at Silent Unity join you in prayer and affirmation, seeing with gratitude your path in this New Year unfolding with ease and grace. In quietness and faith, we see you renewing your inner vision and experiencing God made manifest in your life in a way that profoundly blesses you, those around you and our world. We invite you to join us in prayer and meditation through Daily Word and our online Zoom meetings; connecting directly with our prayer ministry; taking part in our January 'Burning Bowl' service. This, our first one of the year, gives us the opportunity to experience releasing old beliefs or habits and make space to claim our new good – knowing we do all through God as the One Presence and Power active in us and our world. We are honoured and privileged to connect with you in all the ways we do, for it is together that we learn and grow. Thank you for all the ways you connect with us. May your New Year be a delight and a blessing with new, uplifting and life-affirming experiences! Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft Director of Daily Word and Silent Unity UK
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All these relationships are reflecting the love that we are. For my deep belief is that all of us are born of love – Love as a mighty principle and action is the true essence of us all. Yes, we often forget this and dwell in the experience of our separated-self, human-only identity. However, we can move beyond that identification to our True nature when we allow ourselves to be love and share love. We do this already. Christmas has been the perfect time to experience Love given and received. As the song invites us, we can create the experience of Christmas every day of the year. This is how we learn to live out of our Divine nature, our Christ consciousness.
The other thought is … what do we want to be and do in the New Year? So stop for a moment before reading on … take a few moments to go into the quietness of your being and sit here awhile … what experience or understanding is yearning to come forth through you, to live and know? Paul Hasselbeck, Unity minister and author, writes that this desire, this yearning, is God’s love calling us higher, back into ourselves. I am not talking here about a new car or bigger home. I am talking about the experience of abundance, of creativity and joy, of feeling safe and secure, of being free to travel to see loved ones, to work and serve. You may be feeling the calling of a new direction in life. There may be a desire for deeper and more meaningful relationships. There may be a calling to step up and take positive action in some way. As the New Year turns, I feel this energy pulling me. In these short winter days, now is the perfect time to dwell more in the stillness and silence to witness what is calling you forward to be and do this year. As you take time to check in with yourself this month, let Love lead you in your choices and actions. Love as compassion, listening, kindness, gentleness, humility, strength, goodness. As you listen to the inner yearning, the desire, of your heart, know with faith that you can only be led to new and greater good for you, your loved ones and our world. This New Year, may we all be open and receptive to all that is good and true, to Love guiding, connecting and moving us forward in this adventure called Life. Happy New Year to you all. PS Do join us for our online and in person meetings this year – we have already planned a lot to excite you and share with you, including our ongoing Zoom prayer and meditation meetings.
Play the short video below as a meditation exercise to reflect on love. And if you would like to send in your thoughts on love, what it means to you, we would love to receive them. Rev Kimerie Mapletoft Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK
How do you re-centre in peace? How quickly do you notice you are not feeling peaceful and what do you do to help restore inner peace? Perhaps you go for a walk, meditate, exercise or do the ironing! Take a moment to reflect on this …
You may hear in Unity, 'Peace is an inside job'. Certainly, the more we individually practice being peace-filled ourselves, the more we bring peace into the world and the more those around us can respond as peace. People may say, ‘Just choose peace’. Yet if we are feeling angry, resentful, frightened or in grief, this is a difficult choice to make. For me, I first acknowledge my feelings; become present to them without blame or shame, guilt or reproach. Acknowledging our feelings, being present to them in our body, is giving us the space to be fully-present to ourselves – something we rarely do. We often find it easier to push feelings aside or bury them rather than be with them. Yet the power is in being present. Stored or suppressed feelings becomes trapped energy. Becoming present to our feelings allows for their healing and release. Something in us changes. We are changed. My practice (when I remember) is to stop, breathe and be present to the feeling; where it has been stored in my body, without engaging my mind. I can do this, as I know God is here as my strength, wholeness and peace. I breathe, taking in the God energy at the same time. As a result, a sense of relief floods my being. I may get a flash of insight; I may just experience release. Healing happens. Peace is felt and known. This Christmas, if you notice you are becoming stressed or upset, take time to stop, breathe and be present to yourself. For you will experience your Self – and the peace that is within us – underneath everything else. This is the best gift you can give yourself. It is the best gift we can give the world. Let us be the gift of peace this Christmas. "Be still and know that I am God" - Psalm 46:10 Rev Kimerie Mapletoft Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK Instead, for me it has been a practice to develop. A practice of taking time in the stillness to know God within, through and as us, “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 A practice of being present to fears, doubts and angst in the stillness, so we can hand them over, let go and move through to the deeper truth: God is the ground of our being and we are One here. A practice of listening to the ‘still small voice’ that whispers in our minds and hearts, ever-present to guide and direct us, connecting into our intuition and insight that blesses us and all those around us. A practice that requires us to follow through – take action in a way that only blesses ourselves and those around us. Because no God-guidance will ever cause deliberate harm to anyone. No insight will criticise or condemn. We are all beloved; we are all one with God; we all have the qualities of Love and Wisdom to bring harmony, balance, joy and peace back into our lives. As we begin Advent together, let us practice building our faith so that we can know as Jesus did, “The father and I are one.” John 10:30 Rev Kimerie Mapletoft Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK
For this is what the Christ child means to so many – the light that saves us – the joy of new birth – the celebrating of the shepherds, angels and wise men. The love of Mary and Joseph. The innocence and awe of the animals and children as shared in the hymns around the story, which is a beautiful one that still touches our hearts.
As well as the meaningful story that we enjoy reading and singing about at Christmas, in Unity we also look at the story metaphysically; moving beyond a literal meaning to a deeper truth that applies to all of us, here and now. From Unity co-founder, Charles Fillmore: - The shepherds represent the protecting energy of God watching over us, acknowledging God, as Spirit and Source, our ever-present help and understanding. - The angels are God’s messengers bringing divine ideas and messages to help us overcome all limited beliefs and conditions. - Mary represents the soul that magnifies the Lord, through her devotional preparations for the higher life, along with the divine motherhood of love. - Joseph represents divine wisdom, which in the beginning of the story does not understand what is happening, yet comes to know his place and what is his to do. - The star of Bethlehem represents our inner conviction of our own divinity, helping us to move forward and succeed - The birth of the Christ, which represents the birth of our true Self, our divinity coming forth into the world. Not through our efforts but through the activity of the Lord, our Christ self. Source: Revealing Word, A Dictionary of Metaphysical Terms: The Metaphysical Bible Dictionary To make the story real for you, take a moment to reflect on a challenge you are experiencing right now. It may be a health or financial challenge, or relationship issues – anything you are experiencing. Take a moment to be present to it and gently acknowledge it. Now, take the symbols above and apply them to your situation. - The shepherds - Acknowledge God as your Source, as Spirit, here for you now. Through Source, there is a divine energy with and within you, guiding you, protecting you as help and understanding, to see you through – feel into that energy for a few moments … - The Angels -Make space in your mind and heart to receive divine ideas, inspiration, to help you take your next steps in a positive direction … - Mary and Joseph -Let the qualities of divine love and wisdom fill you … feel into them in your mind, heart and body, for they reside within you, to support and be with you on this journey of healing and understanding … - The Star- Alllow yourself to feel the conviction of your own divinity – you are human and at the same time divine, with all the qualities you need within you and shared with you … - The Birth of Christ –As you move through the challenge to the revelation of healing, abundance or harmony, know with faith that the Christ in you is being revealed – your inner light shining more brightly, the Christ child born in you once more. Rest in this knowing for a few moments … As we practice using the tools that are here for us, we feel more resilient, strong, uplifted and free, ready to celebrate Christmas wherever we are. In doing this, let us also take time to reflect on, honour and celebrate our deepening experience of the birth of the Christ energy within us, to witness our divinity being realised even more this year, to witness peace, harmony and understanding in the world. All of us at Unity UK hold you in blessings and prayers, affirming for you a blessed Advent and Christmas.
I think it’s very healthy to step outside the planning and preparation of Advent and Christmas and take some moments to appreciate the gifts we already have. Perhaps you want to write these down. Lots of people have a daily/weekly practice of listing 3 (or more) things every morning or evening that they are grateful for, to begin or end their day. Gratitude boards, a more creative activity, requires the making of a collage using pictures and photos to represent your own personal gifts and blessings. Place this somewhere you can see it and admire it every day. Mine is above my bed. Gratitude may be acknowledging and reciprocating the kindness that others have shown us … or it may just be sitting in a quiet space, breathing in and breathing out, focusing your attention on one or more things that you truly do feel are blessings in your life.
“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” – Colossians 3:15 In this process of seeing the good, in this process of being present to what is beautiful, I create the flow of divine abundance. I create an open heart and open mind, ready to receive the next instalment of blessings making their way to me. Our bodies respond with amazing chemicals when our minds are still and grateful. Have a go creating your own Thanksgiving ritual or gratitude practice this week. Make it magical and make it yours. Stefanie Bridges Unity Administrator
Why am I writing this? We are busy preparing for Christmas here at Unity, as we get ready for the season of Advent.
I love switching on the Christmas lights at the end of the month, thinking about presents, cards and such like. I also deeply appreciate the spiritual aspect of Advent. Taking time each day to get quiet and still, reflecting on the important things in life, like family, community, spreading joy and happiness. Yes, it is good to celebrate the uplifting energy of Christmas in whatever way we can: to enjoy the twinkling lights, the decorations and perhaps the party atmosphere of the younger generation. I believe it is also important to reflect on the deeper meaning of Christmas, finding ways to support those around us who are not able to celebrate in the ways they would wish. Would you like to join us this Advent, with our daily readings focusing on faith, peace, love and joy? It is a beautiful way to feel connected with each other, either by reading and reflecting in your own time, or joining us on Zoom morning or evening, to share the season with our wonderful Unity family. However you prepare for Christmas, together let us bring the energy of faith, peace, love and joy into our world right where we are. Let us live the spiritual meaning of Christmas. Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK
There are of course some famous examples of the more dramatic kind, like Paul’s blinding conversion on the road to Damascus, as described in the New Testament. And later, in the lives of the saints, there are plenty of colourful – sometimes lurid - stories of sudden revelation. Much later, in the twentieth century, the psychologist Carl Jung, a spiritual healer in word and deed, talked of ‘big dreams’ experienced by his patients during their therapy, when vivid archetypal images bearing a powerful spiritual message seem to loom up from deep within the psyche. But does it have to be like a Hollywood film? AA’s ‘Big Book’, speaks also of spiritual awakening of the ‘educational variety’ – meaning the kind of experience which grows almost imperceptibly day by day, month by month, year by year – and I am sure many will recognise in this their own life-experience. The tiniest events, momentary sensations, can act as ripples upon our spiritual consciousness, producing quite dramatic results over time. I was listening to a recent archive talk by Unity minister Jim Rosemergy where he tells the story of a young man in the Mid-West who was experiencing a tough time. Deep in confusion and melancholy he sat one day on a lonely rocky outcrop near his country home. It was a foggy day. Nothing seemed clear, inside or out. But then suddenly an American bald eagle flew past. The young man looked up and for a tiny second their eyes met, the man’s and the bird’s – and his life was utterly changed. He had glimpsed a vivid, overwhelming sense of connection, just for a brief moment. There may have been many sad or uncertain times ahead, but this young person was never quite the same again. When I was in my late twenties – and still drinking far too much – I took a lonely camping holiday, trekking along the Pembrokeshire coast path, with the weight of a comforting bottle of whisky in my kit bag, along with my tent and sleeping bag. Deep in the night, in the middle of my journey, on a craggy clifftop miles from civilisation, I woke up in my tent, badly wanting to pee! I struggled outside into what seemed the thickest blackness I had ever met. But then I looked up. There were the stars. Tens, hundreds, thousands, millions, trillions of them. I stared up. They stared back. And just for a second there was nothing else but me and them. Three hours earlier I had gulped down whisky to fortify me for the night. Now I didn’t need booze. I had found something far more important to sustain me. I can name perhaps another five or six experiences like this over the years, ripples in my everyday life which have gently and imperceptibly brought me to this spot. Spiritually awakened? Maybe. Maybe not quite. There is never an end to this road. But it is the chance moment, the everyday throw-away experience which has marked my particular way. The eye of an eagle met suddenly up there in the sky, when everything else seemed just so much blank white. Steve Gough Media Producer, Unity UK
Finding the balance in this means finding the balance in myself. Finding the way to recognise my own feelings of anger, resentment, revenge, fear, etc., yet not identifying with them: not stuck in them and then acting them out. It is honouring my humanity yet knowing my divinity. This means holding the space for feelings that are very uncomfortable, which normally we do everything we can to avoid. It is true – they are not of my true nature. However, it is only when I recognise them and gently hold the space for them, that I can find my way through to breathe through them. My personal experience is that when we bring all that we are not (everything that comes from the separated self-identity) to the Light and rest here, (God and our divinity) all that we truly are, shines through. This is me, as Kimerie, making space for God to be God through me. As I rest in this beautiful energy, I find I can release the feelings and experience a profound transformation and healing. This is a work in progress. It is a daily practice – one of continually remembering The Golden Key, as Emmett Fox wrote – bring my awareness back to God: God as all-good without opposite. God as love, wisdom, right action, true power that enables us all to know our equality and oneness in the Mind of God. What is mine to do? It is to allow the transformative power of God to work through me so my own inner fear, anger or grief can be transformed, thereby enabling others to do the same. Adding positively to our collective consciousness. Sometimes it is holding the prayer energy of peace in all people, with divine wisdom guiding our world leaders as we all seek to find our way through the violence and grief. This is the feminine principle of Divine Mind expressing through us, the receptive aspect of being, as Charles Fillmore explained. Sometimes it is to take action, the masculine aspect of being which is dynamic and energetic. Give our time, energy or money to help in a practical way. In each moment, as we centre into God-Presence, we will know what to do and how to do it. My prayer, for our world and myself, is to find the pure energy of God in the midst of every person, situation and event unfolding: To know strength, courage, love and wisdom to help me face and release my own inner demons, so I can be fully present to those who are struggling in any way. My faith is that we can, together, face our inner fears and doubt and find release. We can stand for peace and right action, when done with compassion and understanding. Right where we are, we stand in our truth. Bless you for all you are doing and being, in your world. Kimerie Mapletoft Director of Silent Unity UK |
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