How To Live Life And Love It
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PUPIL: So, SUPREME SELF-FREEDOM is our very wonderful subject for today, is it? I am sure that you shall prove to us that supreme self-freedom can be ours, that MIND DOES RULE THE WORLD.

MASTER: You may always be quite certain that YOUR MIND RULES YOUR WORLD; and you may always know that your individual world is a branch of the Universal World. Your mind makes of your world a thing of BEAUTY, PEACE and ABSOLUTE FREEDOM, if only you so will.

PUPIL: I am convinced that this is true IF only one could truly control one's mind, thoughts and feelings at all times. I know that others have attained this mastery, this self control; but somehow it does not seem to be for me, as much as I desire it.

MASTER: At one time in our lives each of us thought this same thing about the multiplication-tables. How difficult they seemed to us as children; yet each of us mastered them by PERSISTENT EFFORT. It is like that with ABSOLUTE SELFFREEDOM. It is dormant within each soul, waiting only for us to call upon it, to arouse it, to recognize it, to give it our attention, our concentrated observation, in our every thought, our every feeling, every act. It is not difficult to have if we make it FIRST in our lives just as a great scientist puts his science BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE! In theory at least all of us realize that we get only what we REACH FOR and REACH FOR STEADILY.

PUPIL: Is not Annette Kellerman, the great swimmer, an example of this? Was she not a cripple as a child, and considered hopelessly crippled?

MASTER: Yes, she was. But through insistent, persistent, determined, steady effort she became the physically-perfect woman, a model for the women of the world. Her science was the science of health, the science of physical beauty and perfection. There are many sciences; and each of us may select the one with which we are most in tune and pursue it to a dazzling goal.

PUPIL: But has not science boasted that it has Disproved the Holy Bible?

MASTER: It may be that some scientists make this boast. But it is not true. The fact of the matter is that SCIENCE HAS CONFIRMED THE TRUTH OF THE BIBLE! It might be said that science has written a new Bible for the THINKING mind merely by clarifying the old one. Science has made of the Bible the Book supreme for those who are determined to live HERE and NOW. Science has proved that "THE WORD" of Life, of the Spirit, IS A LIVING WORD OF POWER! Truly "the heavens do declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth His handiwork."

In reading your Bible always substitute the word "Subconscious Mind" for the word "Lord." Try this faithfully for awhile and see what an astonishing growth you will make. Try this with such passages as Isaiah 40:31, Mark 29:30, Luke 18:29-30 and a host of others. Look about you; look at the results achieved by those who have learned to LOVE, to USE and to TRUST the MIND. Strength, power, beauty, television, wire-photography, microscope, telescope, spectroscope, all of these, yes ALL of ALL THINGS, are RESULTS from the Great Creative Energy whose progress, harmony; telephone, wireless, airplanes, chief attributes are these:

1. It is EVER-PRESENT, EVERYWHERE;

2. It is always AMENABLE to suggestion;

3. It is FOREVER RESPONSIVE;

4. It is ETERNALLY CREATIVE.

This God-ENERGY, REMEMBER, manifests in the MIND OF MAN, in fact IS the mind of man. The three Bible-references given above, and many others, teach us that if one puts the DEVELOPMENT of the DIVINE SPARK WITHIN FIRST, over all else, the DIVINE in return will make that one FIRST with it! Truly then the BEST Life has to give is the possession of that one!

PUPIL: Am I right in believing that the precious promises of the Bible all hinge upon our making intelligent decisions, Loving Life (God) FIRST in everything? And if I do is EVERYTHING I may desire sure to be mine?

MASTER: That is right, IF YOU MAKE GOD FIRST, if you really DO make Him FIRST. That is to say we should make it our FIRST effort to KNOW LIFE'S LAWS and TO LIVE THEM! tn this connection please read over and over again, or better still MEMORIZE letter perfect, the 22nd Chapter of Job, beginning at verse 21 and continuing to the end of the Chapter. The promises given there, the power, the freedom, the plenty, ARE yours, exactly as promised, if you will take the time, the effort, to become ACQUAINTED with the LOVING PARENT-POWER which is always ABLE, and ever MORE THAN WILLING to do these things IN YOU, THROUGH YOU. As you read be sure to bear in mind constantly that the 21st verse is the KEY to all of the others that follow it. The gist of this whole passage in Job is this: WE GET OUT OF LIFE EXACTLY WHAT WE PUT INTO IT, PLUS MUCH INCREASE AS INTEREST ON OUR FAITH! Some state this in a more homely way by saying that "we get what we pay for, and no more."

PUPIL: I have often wondered about this in connection with tithing. Is it true that tithing is a very old Law which has the greatest power back of it?

MASTER: Indeed tithing IS A LAW which has MUCH POWER in it! I have tithed for twenty-five years, religiously so. The practice of tithing is a divine-habit-forming virtue. People tithe because they recognize God and wish to DEVELOP their recognition and expectancy. Regular, systematic tithers are those who have formed the HABIT of COUNTING THEIR BLESSINGS. As a result their BLESSINGS CONSTANTLY INCREASE! Did not Abraham give a tenth of his ALL to Melchizedek as a TOKEN of acknowledgment that his SUCCESSES WERE FROM GOD? And when Jesus sent His disciples forth into the cities of Israel He expressly forbade them to take with them any money or provisions. Why? Because He wished the people of those cities to recognize God in His servants, and to support them with their tithes. As Saint Paul said: "The people who receive spiritual instruction shall administer some of their GOOD to him who gives the instruction." IT IS a FACT abundantly PROVED that the HABIT OF TITHING IS A SURE ROAD TO SUPREME SELF-FREEDOM!

PUPIL: Am I to understand that the habit of tithing would give me a consciousness of an ABIDING PARTNERSHIP WITH GOD? Because my tithing is to God and His servants? Is this correct? Does one tithe to God's cause in recognition, in loving recognition, of Divine guidance? Does one necessarily have to tithe to churches only?

MASTER: No, one need not tithe to churches only. Some people tithe regularly to missionary organizations, some to charities, and many tithe to individuals who work in God's vineyards, irrespective of organizations or affiliations. The value of tithing lies in the ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FEELING OF CONSTANT DIVINE PARTNERSHIP. Tithing brings one into the HIGH and FRUITFUL CONSCIOUSNESS of GOD AND COMPANY, UNlimited! If one keeps in CONSCIOUS touch with the Ever-Present, Responsive Substance of Life by regularly returning to it some of the substance (funds) which it has placed in his stewardship, this constitutes a practical acknowledgment of blessings and thus INCREASES THE BLESSINGS MANYFOLD. The ancient Israelites PROVED this fact consistently; and for centuries the Jews have practiced tithing, as they do today. The Mormons of today prove this Law constantly also. When I was lecturing in Salt Lake City during the "Depression" there was not a SINGLE MORMON, or MORMON FAMILY ON RELIEF! The reason is obvious. THEY TITHE!

PUPIL: I did not realize that tithing was so very great a stimulant for the steady inflow of supply; but now it seems to me that it would give one the same sense of security one has when the taxes are paid in full.

MASTER: That is right. After all your money is yourself; You are God's, your money is His also. Humanity exchanges its abilities, integrity, labor, etc., for money. In my thirty-five years as a practitioner I have had thousands of people come to me for spiritual help for increased supply; BUT in all of that time I have NEVER HAD A SOLITARY TITHER seek my help for financial increase! In fact I have had very few tithers, ones who religiously follow the practice, ever seek my help for ANY KIND OF INHARMONY! Tithing DOES carry with it a WEALTH OF BLESSINGS. GIVING IS WORSHIP! If one REALLY worships God, and considers Him one's BEST business partner, one acknowledges His help by giving to His cause FIRST. The average person gives a mere pittance to God, AFTER they have paid everything else. That is NOT tithing in any sense. A tithe is not a tithe unless it is ten percent. The tithe should be paid first, from the gross profit; and it should be tendered in genuine love, thanksgiving and joy, if not in sheer abandon.

PUPIL: Is tithing required by the Intelligent, Creative Power in Life? Surely God does not need the money, or lands, or cattle.

MASTER: Tithing is voluntary. Yet it IS REQUIRED if one wishes a continual increase of blessings. It is a great joy to recognize God as a partner. To me a partner means one of whom we are fond, with whom we labor for a common good, and with whom we happily SHARE in love. In order to receive benefits from tithing there MUST be JOY IN GIVING. To tithe grudgingly yields no blessings, or few at best. "He who gives HIMSELF with his gifts feeds three, himself, his hungering neighbor and ME!" Tithing brings with it an ABIDING SENSE OF SECURITY, has within its loving bosom an abundance of SUCCESS-IDEAS which when adopted bring health, wealth and happiness. This is the LAW OF TITHING.

PUPIL: Thank you for this lesson on tithing. I should like to hear much more about it. But are you going to tell us today how to reason ourselves into certainty?

MASTER: This is hardly what I meant when we were discussing reasoning out an affirmation before trying to absorb it. For example let us consider freedom. Freedom is joy; joy is freedom. But it seems there are few who have either freedom or joy to any great extent. Many seem to be bound by miseries; their every day is full of discord. To them work, all kinds of work, is disagreeable. To them most people are unbearable; things that happen are awful. The weather is abominable; it rains when it shouldn't; when it should rain it doesn't. They buy things, then regret it. They sell things and then are hurt because they didn't receive more money. If they don't go places they feel slighted; if they do go places they feel sure they were snubbed. If they don't have things they are despondent; if they do have things they are not what they want, etc., etc., etc.

PUPIL: Heavens, is this the average person you are describing?

MASTER: No. I am just giving you an intimate glimpse of a person in bondage, of ones who have not trained their minds to HOLD ONLY THOUGHTS OF ABSOLUTE FREEDOM. Perfect joy and freedom are yours NOW. TAKE them and make them YOURS.

PUPIL: How may one enter upon these joy thoughts at will?

MASTER: That is the place for the affirmation. Take, for example, the thought: "THE VERY BEST LIFE HAS TO GIVE IS MINE NOW!" Reason about this for a minute. Why is it true? Because Life (God) made me out of Himself and LIVES IN ME. The very life of me is God. Life is happy; life is free; life is health; life is wealth; Life is ALL GOOD.

PUPIL: I can see this BUT suppose that when you have satisfied yourself this is true some member of the family, or some friend, jabs you with a very unkind remark? What then? Are you supposed to laugh that off?

MASTER: If you REALLY ARE CONSCIOUS that the BEST Life has to give is yours, you will instantly realize at all times that you are not supposed to try to live for another. You have all you can do to keep the stream of joy flowing through your own consciousness. When I first began my study with Troward he cautioned me every day: "Watch your THOUGHTS and FEELINGS! They DO TAKE FORM, you know!" And he really got that great Truth across to my consciousness. When I went to Ruan Manor to study with him, I had been accustomed to a personal maid all of my life. I took my maid with me when I went to Troward. There was not one modern convenience where I lived in Ruan Manor; and none could be obtained thereabouts. We had been there just a month when Marie came to me in tears and told me she was heartbroken to leave me but she could not stay in that awful place any longer; she just must go back to Paris. She was too lonely, etc. Of course my first thoughts were: "If Marie goes, what shall I do? Here we are miles from anywhere, with no conveniences of any kind.

What does this mean? Why should this disaster come to me now, of all times, when I really am trying to know God?" Just when my thoughts reached that station, and were gathering momentum, Troward's warning: "WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS!" came to my mind and I stopped right there. I began to use the will exercise he had taught me. I also used affirmations he had given me, to hold my thoughts where the Creative Power in THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS could produce what I wanted. What I wanted most was FREEDOM TO CONTINUE WITH MY STUDY. I deliberately held my thoughts in the RIGHT place.

Only two days later the lady from whom I rented our rooms came to me and said she believed that Marie had been trying to tell her that she was leaving me (Marie was French and spoke no English) and that she wished she could find me another good personal maid before she went to Paris. I told the lady this was the case. She said that her daughter was coming home from London in just a few days, that her daughter had worked there for several years as a good personal maid, and that she felt sure the girl would be happy to work for me in that capacity. Marie left after teaching the other girl just how I wished things done; and the new maid was as satisfactory as the first. In this episode I had my first good lesson in knowing that I must WATCH MY THOUGHTS, that THEY DO BECOME THINGS!

PUPIL: You have said that your favorite affirmation is the Lord's Prayer. Please show us how you would reason this out in order to better understand it before using it, part of it at least.

MASTER: Very well. The first two words of that prayer carry a tremendous power, if they are thought over, or spoken, with much feeling. What does "Our Father" suggest? Our Father, our very own Father? When you were a child what was your idea of your father? Your idea of him may have been exaggerated but you BELIEVED him to be rich beyond all words, influential, kind, loving, good, always ready to give, to help, to comfort, to make you happy and to see that you had everything that your little heart could desire. Then try to feel yourself as a child of God, with all the enthusiasm of a child. Know that you are so like HIM that He adores you, guides you, shields you, protects you, gives you everything He has to give in generous quantity, that you are, and that you have, HIS ALL.

Do this with the whole prayer. Think about it all, understand and assimilate it all; then USE IT ALL! If you will do your part you will find that the Father-Principle in life IS ALWAYS RESPONSIVE! Your objective quality of mind may not know what is best for you because it can only realize the objective and limited side of Life. But THE FATHER IN YOU, HE KNOWS! Ask Him, be guided by Him. Your real desires are but reflections from Him which shine through and register in your mind.

PUPIL: Would it not be a good idea for us to frequently refer back to the lesson on "Desire, a Divine Impulse" when there is any confusion of mind about desires?

MASTER: Yes, that is recommended; in fact I trust that you will frequently review all of the Lessons of this Course. And I devoutly wish that you would earnestly TRY to MAKE GOD FIRST in your heart, and mind, and soul, and daily and hourly life. If you will, it will mean for you a life of SUPREME SELF-FREEDOM and truly you will MAKE OF YOURSELF a reflection of God's OWN IDEA who is the PERFECTED you. To this end I recommend the following, all of which I urge you to memorize, letter perfect. I also URGE you to USE and USE and yet again USE these points and affirmations, faithfully and regularly. Here they are:

For DAILY, Systematic, Loving Use:

Your hourly effort should be that of fully realizing your true place in the Great Plan of Life.

Just what is this TRUE place for each individual? It is, as Troward taught me, the following three things:

1. WORSHIP of God Alone;

2. The absolute EQUALITY of all individuals;

3. Complete CONTROL of all else.

Affirmations:

1. I AM intelligent, Loving Spirit, LIVING in Creative Love and Power! In Him do I LIVE and MOVE and have my WHOLE BEING!

2. I AM a specialized PART OF God's own Self-Manifestation! God IS specialized in me; therefore I AM perfect Harmony!

3. I AM direct knowledge of ALL Truth! I AM perfect Intuition! I AM Spiritual perception at its fullness! There is but ONE Wisdom; therefore I AM Perfect Wisdom!

4. My mind IS a center of DIVINE operation; therefore I AM always thinking good thoughts, speaking only constructive words! Time is Eternal; God is the ONLY Giver! His Loving Intelligence is continually working IN and THROUGH me; hence I AM ever working correctly. I AM thinking the RIGHT thoughts, in the RIGHT way, at the RIGHT time, towards the RIGHT result! God's work IN and THROUGH me is always WELL done!

5. I AM Specialized Spirit! I AM always receiving rich, powerful inspirations from the Great, Universal, Parent Spirit. Divine Intelligence is always thinking NEW, FRESH, CLEAR ideas through me, ones far beyond any I have ever known before. My prayers are the outflow of the Great Oversoul of the Universe. They go forth in His Name; and ALWAYS they ACCOMPLISH that for which I send them. GOD IS GLORIFYING HIMSELF IN AND THROUGH ME NOW!