In Revealing Word, Charles Fillmore tells us that Truth is ‘The Absolute; that which accords with God as divine principle; that which is, has been, and ever will be; that which eternally is.’ 
 
Finally, Paul Hasselbeck (author of Heart Centred Metaphysics) says ‘Anything that acknowledges, verifies, supports or expresses Divine Ideas is called “Truth”’. 
 
I was raised as an engineer and so I like to see things as simply and plainly as I can. So, whereas I wouldn’t disagree with any of the above, I find them a bit wordy; for me Truth is Oneness or, perhaps even just ‘One’.
 
You see all the problems I face in life come from thoughts of separation, of being cut off from my Divinity, the Christ within. 
 
When I remember that I AM ONE IN GOD and I manage to let go and let God (not always easy, I frequently think I know best!) then my experience of troubles and my fears drop away and I feel the flow (as Eric Butterworth would call it) of Love, in me, through me, as me and all around me. 
This is the joy that is mine. Jesus said that he came that we should “have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10) ; he also said “the father and I are one” (John 10:30). So, as One, in Oneness I have life abundantly and I feel joy.
 
Thank you for letting me share my ramblings; it has set me up for that class and, maybe, I can now answer this question for my students; should they ask!!
 
Paul Mapletoft
Licensed Unity Minister
 
New to Daily Word? Order your free copy here.​

In this episode Rev Ken Bradley reflects on 'hope' in our lives, exploring the importance of willingness, courage and  'let go, let God'. 

"I am ready to be a channel for prayer, a channel for God's Grace. And when we do then God's love, guidance, wisdom and strength can not be denied they are already pressing us to accept them..."

What does hope mean to you? 

Do you know the true story about a Buddhist monastery that thought they had a clay Buddha statue, only to discover that it was a beautiful solid gold statue, that had been covered up to protect it from marauders many centuries ago.
 
It is a powerful story with many meanings. Re-reading the story recently, I realised once more that we, as children, all cover up our inner light to keep ourselves safe, to a greater or lesser extent. Because of the confusion and painful experiences we have, not understanding that our parents and guardians know no better themselves, we protect ourselves against the world that seems to be against us. And at the time it was the right thing to do, because we did it. We all need to feel safe.
 
However, after a while, we may come to see we no longer need to cover up our inner light and being. As we begin to chip away at the old beliefs and feelings that no longer serve us, we begin to connect with our inner being, our divinity. Here our inner light naturally shines, our old ways of being can be released and we grow into our wise, kind, courageous and compassionate selves that we really are. We allow our divine and human identities to more beautifully merge.
 
Are you willing and excited at the idea of releasing the old identity and connecting with the loving, wise presence within you?
 
If you are, then the forthcoming season of Lent is one that will help guide you more deeply through the process. Look out for more details about how you can join us through Lent. For we are on this journey of discovery and awakening together.
​
Full story of the Buddha statue
 
Rev Kimerie Mapletoft
Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK
New to Daily Word? Order your free copy here.

When I was a child growing up and attending our local Methodist Church, we were encouraged to practice giving up something through Lent, as is the Christian tradition. As children, it was suggested we did not eat chocolate or sweets. Is this something you experienced as well?

Looking back, I do not remember if they told us the reason for doing this, except that it was a good practice. Giving up something we enjoyed would strengthen our minds and bodies. Probably because I did not get the deeper meaning, I generally gave up sweets, though I hardly ate them anyway! There was probably some deeper teaching but I have never remembered it, perhaps because I did not find it supportive.

Truthfully, I walked away from Church because I did not believe their basic teaching - we had to be fearful of God (do the right thing or go to hell) and that Jesus was the only son of God.

What has served me throughout my life is that I have always believed God is love and all of us are equally loved, because we are all children of God. My spiritual searching took me to different ways of experiencing this through practicing meditation, following A Course in Miracles and leading a study group in Neale Donald Walsh’s series, Conversations with God.

However, it was when I came to Unity in 2002, that I began to understand the deeper teachings of the Bible. This included the powerful message that really connected with me - Jesus is our example and guide, not the exception: Jesus taught that the love and power of God is within us all. (Read the Unity book by Eric Butterworth, Discover the Power Within You.) This helped me dive into the deeper meaning of Bible ideas and practices, including Lent (although the practice of Lent is a Christian idea, not found in the Bible as a teaching practice).

There is so much good found within the Bible, especially when we dive into the deeper meanings and teachings. They are potentially profound and life changing, if we can fully grasp the concepts and put them into practice.

Thus we come to the practice of Lent in Unity and what it means to us … Simply, we suggest that through prayer, study and reflection, we can give up the thoughts and feelings we recognise no longer serve us as human and spiritual beings, so that we can accept and take on our true identity. In Unity, we teach that we are all divine beings on human journeys of awakening into our divinity, expressing this in our own unique and amazing ways. This is done through serving, loving, encouraging and supporting ourselves, each other and our planet.

What a powerful message. How amazing it would be if every one of us were able to accept that we are all equal in God’s sight (mind/heart) – it makes no difference what is the colour of our skin, our sexuality, our political ideals or our faith.  Instead of fighting each other and our own experiences, we would be more able to learn from and embrace our different viewpoints and experiences, using them to create a better world where we can all awaken to our inner beauty and light.

If you would like to join us in study to dive into this for yourself, book your place at our Home Retreat in February. We will discuss some of Unity’s ideas on Lent and put the practices into motion. We will also have our Lent booklet, which will be available to order from 14th February. This guides us beautifully through the practice of letting go of old beliefs and ideas to claim our beautiful, radiant identity as beloved and one with God.

Whatever you do, we encourage you to know that, first and foremost, you are divine and loved, just as Jesus came to show his people. Instead of believing the story that you are unlovable or unworthy, be open to the idea that you are so much more than you think you are and let the season of Lent help you know this more deeply for yourself.

Rev Kimerie Mapletoft
Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK

In this new podcast episode Rev Ken Bradley explores the opportunity to begin again. Ken shares ways to begin again whether that is in a new day, new month or new year. 

"Here I am Lord show me"

"I now perceive the path ahead of me with a new clarity and purpose. I go forward with courage and acceptance to take each new step today.

This reflection is followed by a Daily Word reading from the archives,  
' Living from my divine nature I begin again.'

Welcome to 2022. For many it has been another challenging year. Yet, as we leave 2021 behind, we can know that together, we are stronger, wiser, happier and healthier.

Unity has proved this in many ways – not least with Daily Word and our prayer ministry, which supports so many in the UK and around the world.

As we reflect on the year gone by, perhaps we have learned more about ourselves: What works in our lives, what does not; how we can support ourselves with kindness and compassion, so that we are able to respond more positively to what is happening in the world and in us.


This may mean we have found ways to support our mental and physical care, as well as our spiritual care. If we did not know before the pandemic began, we know now, how important this is, for everyone.


One thing is for sure – there is always hope, often found through the beauty of nature around us, when we look for it. As this time of writing, we have a glorious sunset of oranges and pinks against the deep blue of the sky. My soul is lifted, through this simple gift.


Because there is hope, we can remember that we are never alone. Whatever we need, we can tune into God-Presence: To open to the deep experience that every need is met and we are loved more than we could ever know. Here is our faith and our joy.


At the turn of the year, and the beginning of longer days and more light, we naturally think about what we want to experience, learn, or know more deeply. For me, there is a definite pull to experience even more mental and emotional peace – to move beyond the thinking, critical mind. For here, I find true peace, joy, fulfilment, and ways to more deeply live and serve in our world. 


I also recognise that my greatest joy throughout the pandemic has been all the ways we have connected – on Zoom and finally in person at our summer retreat and Christmas Service.


My desire in Unity is to keep this energy and experience alive and grow it even more. In 2022 we have lots planned – study classes, home retreats, in-person retreats, online workshops. As well as continuing our daily online meetings, which you can also dial into with your landline or mobile phone if you do not have access to the internet.


We can connect in many ways. This is our call. It is my call. 


This New Year, I invite you to make this commitment to yourself:

• To connect with God-Presence within and around you, which will help you to
• Connect with your beautiful, divine Self , which will enable you to
• Connect more deeply with each other and the world around us

We use affirmative and loving thoughts and prayers, and we learn to still the mind and access Divine Heart/Mind in the silence.

From this deeper experience of connection, we move forward with right action, able to encourage others to know that they, too, are beautiful, worthy, and loved.

It is only together that we can really wake up to our beautiful, joyful, creative selves, and be the divine Self we came here to be.

Join us on the journey – we are here and we celebrate the Divine You.

Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft

The importance of self-care within spiritual community.
 
Our faith in God, the Presence that we reside within, is something that keeps us stronger, healthier and peaceful. However, even with faith, there are times when we feel pushed to the limit, completely outside of our comfort zone, afraid of what is going on around or within us.
 
This is when it is so important to turn to our spiritual community for affirmative prayer and support. Mental health has really come to the fore through lock-down; and prayer is such a powerful resource and tool, to develop and use.
 
Perhaps the most important step is learning not to make anything wrong, including ourselves!
 
When we can surrender our judgements of what we think should be happening, or how we should respond, we make space for Divine wisdom and love, comfort and care. We discover we can see the way forward and take the steps that are ours, with renewed clarity, authority and faith.
 
The first step in prayer is release: To let go of judgements, or ask for help in letting go, is to make way for the flow of Divine life, love and wisdom, eternally present.
 
None of us like feeling alone or isolated, so it is very important that we reach out to others who will not judge us, but listen, support, encourage and uplift us. This is where Silent Unity, our prayer ministry, can really help.
 
We pray affirmatively, listening with love and compassion, then inviting the caller to come together to connect with God’s love, guidance, life and peace, that is here in our midst.
 
Prayer is such a powerful tool – it connects us with each other and with God. Perhaps this is what is needed more than ever: To know that we are part of something greater than ourselves that is, for us, loving, compassionate, understanding, non-judgemental and actively present to bring forth the highest good for everyone.
 
To connect with Silent Unity in confidential prayer and pray in person with our fully trained volunteers:
Call:   01628 628916
Email: silent.unity@unityuk.org
Write: 10 Lake End Court, Taplow Road, Taplow, Bucks, SL6 0JQ
 
Silent Unity is here to pray with you – to see the Christ energy being born in all of us anew as we move into this New Year. Together let us honour each other, love each other and celebrate all the ways that God as good is being born in us, and in our world.
 
Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft
Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK

I am blessed to know a wise man that, after a difficult first half of his life, has now been living and breathing a quietly spiritual path for many decades. He is a friend and mentor. This week we were discussing the pitfalls of being overly self-focussed, and he shared with me one way that he guards against this tendency. He recalls a famous speech that President Kennedy made, where he said,
 
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
 
My friend then adapts this phrase to any situation in which he is becoming overly obsessed with his own needs, or when reviewing his day ahead. I like this practical idea. It is the antidote to my all-too human self-centredness.
 
‘Ask not what my day can give to me, but what I can give to my day.’
 
This approach may be useful as we head into the festive period with all the demands on our time, and family events that might not be all that we would wish!
 
More than this, at the heart of such an ‘other-focused’ attitude is surely one of the deepest expressions of Love. As St Francis said, ‘it is in self-forgetting that I find’.
 
And yet, paradoxically, I cannot truly give love if I have no sense of self-care, if I am living from a place of low self-esteem and fear, which lurk deep beneath all self-centredness.
 
Authentic Love arises from a deep, quiet inner knowing of our own worth as spiritual beings. In our purest essence, we are beings of Light who are gently, powerfully, and unconditionally loved by God.
 
Nothing we can do or say, neither our failures nor our successes will change this beautiful truth.
When we know, in the deep-most part of ourselves, that we are completely loved and accepted just as we are, then we will begin to radiate this outwards, naturally, to others.
 
Deeper still, we know again, in this present moment, that we are One with God.
 
God is Love
I am One with Love
I am Love
I AM
 
Sarah Whitaker
Long term Unity member
New to Daily Word? Order your free copy here.
 
Join us for our Advent programme.
Being with each other on Zoom has become a joyful part of my practice of being peace.

Today's Unity Advent reading by Rev Evin Wilkins (A Christmas to Remember) includes the peaceful image of resting in a hammock in the summer breeze. We are given the affirmation " I remember the peace of God is available in any season".

As I read these words today I thought about how when we rest in a hammock we are held and supported. There is nothing we need to do in that moment.

You might like to use this image and take a moment out of your day to connect with this feeling of peace and being held and supported.

We are meeting every day to read our Advent Booklet together on zoom. Please do join us at 9am Monday- Saturday (10am on Sundays) and 8.30pm Monday-Sundays all on zoom.
Click here for more details

                                                                                      -Ruth Humphreys, Daily Word UK Editor 

Picture credit: Angelina Kichukova on Unsplash

Here we are in December and the season of Advent, our time of preparation for Christmas.
This means different things to all of us. For some it is super busy with chores and shopping, juggling work and home life. For others it can feel lonely and isolating, especially with the impact of Corona Virus still affecting so many people.

However, whether we are busy or alone, we can take sacred, quiet time, to reflect on the story of the birth of Jesus and what this means to us. There is the act of faith that Mary and Joseph represent, the peace of the stable, the love of the shepherds and the joy of the angels. For all of these qualities reside in us to develop and use.

Why do this? In part of course because we feel so much better in ourselves when we do. However, it can be much more, for in Unity we describe this season of Advent as a time of spiritual preparation for the birth or rebirth of the Christ consciousness in us.

Jesus told his disciples, those that followed his teachings, whatever I do, you too can do, and more (John 14: 12). This is a powerful message, which can feel quite daunting. However, as we develop our qualities of faith, peace, love and joy, and follow the way of Jesus, who taught love and service to others through our connection with God, we connect with the Christ energy in us and we are reborn.

To do this, we come as human beings, with all our foibles, imperfections and regrets, to meet our divinity that is pure, loving, wise and true.

It is a sacred path that until now only a few have walked. The invitation to you today, is that this is the path for all of us. The need is high, the call is powerful, the result is pure, loving wisdom working through us all.

Let us take time each day through this season of Advent, to reconnect with the divine Christ energy that is within you, me and everyone. For as we do, we find new ways to live that bless us and our world. This is the call. Are you listening? Will you respond?
​
Join us through Advent and Christmas to awaken the Christ energy within and live from this Truth.

Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft