Light in the Wilderness

“The secret to working a gratifying alchemy on trials is to give thanks, for all circumstances—not just the obvious blessings, the good things, but the inconvenient events, the annoying, and even very bad ones too. The reason is that heartfelt thanks opens us to the interior Light that always provides something in return for loss. A state of thankfulness becomes a purifying way-of-being that opens the soul to experiences of glory. It can soften grief. A second-sight develops which permits us to see the Lord’s love. As we express our thanks to Him and to each other, we create a peaceful, enlightened, and spiritual atmosphere.”

“Much spiritual change can come simply as we become aware of the truth that Natural Mind thoughts are illusory. As we notice how the Natural Mind works, we can begin to make different choices. Instead of insisting on being right, or making demands of others, or drooping in a bad mood, or indulging in self-pity or feeling wronged, or fearing that we are not liked, we can see the insubstantial nature of these thoughts, not how they make us feel, and begin the process of inquiry. Inquiry has to do first with becoming aware of what is coming and going in the mind. It assumes that most disturbing thoughts carry some sort of illusion, some distortion of reality. Setting aside a human tendency to be gripped by fearful or miserable thoughts, we can quietly, deliberately, and deeply entertain the possibility of the opposite of what the thought is tempting us to believe. What might be a truer way of looking at this situation? The Natural Man serves us as a live-in teacher. It is appropriate to be grateful and correct gently. Just becoming aware can lessen the power of negative feelings, as insight and release often go together.”