An Activity to Start Your New Year On Fire!

As we leave 2011 behind, we bring expectation and excitement into the entry into 2012. Spiritual enrichment and depth of understanding are at the top of our list, and if you are reading this blog, we imagine it is on yours as well. Here is a quick activity to get you started into 2012 in the right direction. It is great to do on New Year’s Eve — and a wonderful tool to generate powerful discussions! We’d be interested in hearing your experiences as you completed this activity.

Part 1: Looking Back 

Grab a pen and quickly jot down your first-impression answers to the following questions:

• What was the best decision I made in 2011?
• What was the one thing I would change about 2011 if I could?
• What was the most exciting and fun thing I did in 2011?
• What was the best lesson I learned in 2011?
• Who made the biggest impact on my life in 2011?
• What was the best book I read in 2011? Why?
• What was the best movie I saw in 2011? Why?
• What one change did I make that was worth the risk in 2011?
• What was the biggest change in my Spiritual practice in 2011?

Part 2: Looking Forward

Now jot down your first-impression answers to these questions:

• If I could capture my vision for 2012 in just ONE WORD, what would that word be?
• What is my biggest fear as I move into 2012?
• What idea keeps popping into my Consciousness that really excites me?
• What three changes would I like to make in my life experience during 2012?
• If I could make just one change in my personal Spiritual practice during 2012, what would it be?
• What can I use as my personal  motivator, to keep me moving forward when the world of appearance gets in my way?

Part 3: Reflection

Read over everything you have captured in your responses to the questions above. Then, go into the Silence and allow Spirit to reveal your plan for 2012. Be aware of the Divine Ideas that flow to you, and allow yourself to recognize your worthiness to receive the abundance that is ready to unfold before you this amazing year! Capture your thoughts and reflections in your journal, and use these notes to move you into the best year you have ever experienced … as you walk the spiritual path on practical feet!

Revs. Drs. Bil and Cher Holton are co-ministers of a growing church in Durham, NC. They are prolific authors, dynamic speakers, and master facilitators. Learn more by visiting them at www.TheMetaphysicalWebsite.com

Metaphysical Interpretation of Go Tell It On the Mountain (and Practical Tips to Do It!)

We thought we’d do something this Christmas that we’ve been wanting to do for several years: provide metaphysical interpretations of some popular Christmas songs. We know some of you love the traditional hymns and Christmas songs, but sometimes the words of those old favorites clash with our more elevated Consciousness.  So, we thought a ‘both/and’ Christmas carol approach would be in order.

We hope you enjoy our metaphysical treatments of some classic Christmas tunes. Let’s start with ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain.’

The lyrics from this week’s song begin with the verses:

Go tell it on the mountain. Over the hills and everywhere.

It’s metaphysical interpretation goes like this: We must cultivate (go tell) a high level of spiritual awareness (mountain) beyond traditional religious beliefs (over the hills) and general religious knowledge (everywhere).

That Jesus Christ is born.

So that we become consciously aware of the Christ Presence incarnating as us (Jesus Christ is born).

While shepherds watched their silent flocks by night.

Our innately attuned spiritual proclivities (shepherds) influence latent spiritual energies (watch over silent flocks) which are quickening but still dampened by an unenlightened ego (night).

Behold throughout the heavens there shown a holy light.

This inner awakening is possible (Behold) because the Christ Presence (holy light) permeates our conscious, subconscious, and super-conscious states of mind (heavens).

Shepherds feared and trembled when above the earth,

Our protective spiritual inclinations (shepherds) become electrified and expectant (fear and tremble) as our heightened awareness transcends the limitations of our worldly consciousness (earth).

Rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth.

We become joyfully receptive to the higher spiritual energies (the angel chorus) that confirm (hail) our conscious awareness that we are human expressions of Christ in physical form (the Savior’s birth).

Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born.

Our sense-coated instincts (lowly manger) are underwritten by our Christ Nature (the humble Christ is born).

God sent us salvation on that blessed Christmas morn.

Our ability to raise our thoughts, words, and actions to their highest spiritual octaves (salvation) allows us to become fully aware of our divinely inherited Christ nature (blessed Christmas morn).

We hope from this reading you can see why we prefer a metaphysical treatment over the literal interpretations of scripture and songs based on those literal interpretations. Literal interpretations do not bring the depth needed to understand universal truths. As serious Truth students, teachers, and practitioners, we want to help raise the spiritual consciousness of humankind one thought, one verse, one song at a time.

This week’s adventure of Advent is to be consciously aware of your sense of expectation …  so you can “Go Tell It On the Mountain” with everything you do! Here are a couple of ways to approach it:

Expect a Joyful Experience! Instead of dreading what you must do, expect it to be fun! Set yourself up to enjoy the moment by consciously setting that intention. Our family has an interesting little light-up decoration that plays a holiday carol. When we all get together, someone will turn it on, and we all exclaim, “The fun light is on!” We expect our time together to be joyful — and it is! As you enter this special season, be the one to turn the fun light on! Set out with the inner thought of Joy. (With everything you do, no matter what it is, begin with the affirmation “I do this with joy!”) Send out joy to others with a smile, a kind word, a thoughtful deed. And watch for the reaction!

Expect a Peaceful Experience, knowing you are God expressing. God is Peace ~ so YOU are peace! Now more than ever, when you are feeling the most rushed and frazzled, you must make quiet time for meditation and prayer. Go to headquarters, making time to be still and listen, expecting the answers to come! It may be you need to say “no” to a request; choose to keep things more simple; discover new ways to get things done more easily. Remember the metaphysical interpretation of go Tell It on the Mountain: We have the ability to raise our thoughts, words, and actions to their highest spiritual octaves! When we do that, we are peace, no matter what the world of appearance throws at us!

Expect an enriched Spiritual Experience. As we focus on the real meaning of Christmas, we realize we are Divine—we are worthy. We can come from the mountain of our highest, most elevated level of awareness, and use this time leading up to Christmas to prepare us for the holiest of celebrations. As we move into this season with Great Expectations (expecting a joyful experience; expecting a peaceful experience, and expecting an enriched Spiritual experience), we can “Go Tell It on the Mountain” that we claim our Oneness, knowing the Christ born in Jesus is the same Christ born in us.

Consider the following lyrics as a Spiritual version of the chorus to Go Tell It On the Mountain:

I’m raising my awareness

Moving beyond embedded thinking

I’m raising my awareness

The Christ is born in me. 

May you truly raise your awareness and Go Tell It On the Mountain … as you walk the spiritual path on practical, expectant feet.

GoTell It On The Mountain-Metaphysical Interpretation: Complimentary Download

 

II Corinthians 6:14-7:1 from a Spiritual Perspective

This is a scripture that is used quite often to justify only having relationships with others of the same religious persuasion, particularly marriage. It has created quite a bit of hurt and woundedness. However, when read from a spiritual, metaphysical perspective, it not only makes more sense … it is inspiring and healing!

First, let’s read it from a traditional version: The New American Standard Bible:

 ¹⁴Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

 ¹⁵Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,

 ¹⁶Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, ”I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their god, and they shall be my people.

¹⁷“Therefore, Come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. ”And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.

¹⁸“And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.

Now for the Spiritual Perspective! Wait till you experience the difference!

Here is the metaphysical interpretation:

¹⁴ We must decide whether or not we want to be serious about our spiritual growth. If we want to take our Truth walks seriously we must refrain from filling our consciousness with error thoughts (unbelievers). It is easy to see that right thinking (righteousness) and wayward inclinations (lawlessness) are irreconcilable. The same thing goes for embracing our divinity (the light) and denying or neglecting it (darkness).

¹⁵ What possible connection is there between our innate Divinity (the Christ) and an anthropomorphic deifying of the abject denial of our divinity [the illusionary figure called Belial or the Adversary (Satan)]? What do polarities like spiritual aspirations (believers) and material ambitions (unbelievers) have in common?

 ¹⁶ Where is the compatibility between a Christed consciousness (temple of god) and one prone to self-aggrandizement (idols)? The truth is we are God expressing through the Christ as us! When the Christ [God in physicality] incarnated as us (dwelled in them) becoming enfleshed as us (be their god, our thoughts and inclinations will be absolutely positively divine (they shall be my people).

¹⁷ Therefore, we must keep our thoughts, emotions, and actions Christed instead of worldly (come out from their midst). We must refrain from (do not touch) baser materialistic instincts (what is unclean).

¹⁸ When we elevate our thinking we have conscious access to Divine Mind (I will be a father to you), and our thoughts (sons) and emotions (daughters) will be in alignment with our divine nature.

Chapter 7

¹ Even though we may have a powerful, compelling thought (man), it is best if we do not stay fixated on it (marry). We must keep an open mind if we expect to grow spiritually.

Revs. Drs. Bil and Cher Holton are co-ministers of a growing church in Durham, NC. They are prolific authors, dynamic speakers, and master facilitators. Learn more by visiting them at www.TheMetaphysicalWebsite.com

Don’t Suffer From a Pain in the ASK! Metaphysical Study of Matthew 12:22

How many times have you read Matthew 21:22 (Ask, believing you have received) and said, “Yeah, right! I’ve asked, but it’s not coming. So this verse just isn’t true!”

Actually, this verse is a kind of mystery – one of those hidden messages – and the clue is in the very word giving us the problem: ASK. We must look at that word from a spiritual perspective — a metaphysical interpretation. The word “Ask” should really be interpreted as “Declare.” From this perspective, an example would be asking the spigot for water, or asking the wall outlet for light. We may not understand the specifics of how the principles of running water or electricity work, but we know they are principles we depend on. We don’t go up to the sink, get on our knees, and beg for water. We simply “work the principle!”

In our work, we have long used a fun phrase as one of our basic principles for success: Don’t suffer from a pain in the Ask! Be sure you get that last word right – ASK!

Do you realize how fearful people are of asking? I once had a professor who said, “Ask questions! Here’s the deal: you can feel dumb for five minutes while you ask, or be dumb for a lifetime because you don’t ask!” Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?

So what does that have to do with our spiritual experiences? How does it relate to receiving all we ask for? What does it mean to ask, believing we have received? To understand that, you need to read between the lines, and see the word ASK as a word that holds three spiritual clues to how we are to “Declare.”

Affirm it!  •  See it!  • Know it!

Affirm It! This means you speak it as if it is already a done deal … from a consciousness of abundance rather than from a consciousness of lack. Listen to the words you speak — they will tell you where your consciousness is! Are you focused on what you don’t have? Make the mental shift to affirming what it is you are seeking. Say it in positive terms, and say it with energy!

Affirming your requests transforms your magnetic field, so you actually begin attracting your desires to you. Now here’s a little secret: instead of affirming a specific outcome, try affirming the essence of what you want. (For example, instead of affirming  ”I am receiving a raise,” affirm “I am financially free, with all my bills paid and plenty to share and spare.” Instead of affirming “I no longer suffer from asthma,” affirm “I have now transcended all patterns of illness. I am free and healthy!”)

See It! This represents the art of visualizing yourself actually embodying the essence of what it is you are asking for. Visualizing is often misunderstood, because not everyone sees pictures. There are many ways to “visualize” or “see” what you are declaring. For example: Imagine one of us offering to come wash all the windows at your home! All we need to know is how many windows you have in your house.

What are you doing right now? You are counting windows! Some folks close their eyes and actually see themselves in their home. Others are talking to themselves as they talk through their home; others get a sense of the windows. However you were counting windows gives you a clue as to how you prefer to “visualize.” There’s no one right way!

Know It!  This is the clincher! The knowing from deep within – where you know that you know that you know! It is the knowing that allows you to simply turn the faucet to get water – to hit the switch knowing you will get light. Imagine if we had that same kind of belief about our spirituality, and the Truth Principles!

There’s a classic clinical story I still remember learning about years ago in an Abnormal Psychology course. The story is of a young man who suddenly believes he is dead — a walking corpse. His exasperated parents struggle with him, and finally arrange an appointment with a highly respected New York City psychiatrist. The psychiatrist tried his professional best to convince the young man that he was not a corpse, and that he was certainly not dead.

The two men fruitlessly argued the point back and forth. Finally the psychiatrist had an idea he was certain would convince the young man that his belief was erroneous. The psychiatrist turned to the young man and asked, “Do you think dead people bleed?” The young man thought about this for a moment, then answered: “No, all body functions have stopped when you’re dead. So there would be no blood flowing.”

The psychiatrist then took a needle from his desk and pricked the young man’s finger. The young man gasped and stared at his finger in amazement. “Well,” he finally stammered. “I’ll be darned. Dead people DO bleed!” His belief was so powerful that logical evidence had no influence over it at all.

So, let’s go back to Matthew 12:22 ~ Ask, believing, and you will receive. Don’t suffer from a pain in the ASK! A = Affirm it, S = See it, and K=Know it! Together, they create a declaration! Then all we need to do is take action ~ and indeed, we will receive! And that’s when we know we truly are walking the spiritual path on practical feet!

 

About the Authors: Combine a flair for the dramatic, a deep understanding of metaphysics combined with the teachings of Jesus, and a zest for ministry, and you have defined Revs. Bil & Cher Holton, the dynamic duo who serve as co-ministers for Unity Spiritual Life Center, Durham, NC. This exciting couple bring their love for Truth Principles to everything they do, and work together to create a center that lives its vision and mission in everything it does.They are prolific authors, and share their metaphysical and spiritual principles through their website: http://www.TheMetaphysicalBible.com

 

 

 

How to S.H.O.O.T. from the Lip for Powerful Spiritual Growth

Let’s begin by clarifying what we mean by SHOOT from the Lip. We all know the traditional saying, “Shoot from the hip,” which is used when we speak without much planning or preparation. S.H.O.O.T. from the Lip, on the other hand, means to use the power of spoken affirmations in an intentional, powerful way to amp up our spiritual awareness and experience tremendous spiritual growth! SHOOT is an acronym, standing for: Spiritually Honoring Only One Truth! Every affirmation we create must be grounded in the Truth of No Separation. We are the physical expressions of One God: Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Omni-active.

So why the focus on affirmations? In the Foreword to Drs.’ Rick Hanson and Richard Mendius’ groundbreaking book, Buddha’s Brain: The Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom, Dr. Daniel Siegel has this to say about the power of the spoken word: “The simple truth is that how we focus our attention, how we intentionally direct the flow of energy and information, and the way we communicate alters the very circuitry of our brain.”

Neuroscience has proven beyond a doubt that even fleeting thoughts and feelings can leave lasting impressions on our brain. When you add the amperage of the spoken word as a vocal expression of those thoughts and feelings you literally change the neural structure of the brain. Positive thoughts and affirmations are not only essential for spiritual growth but they are necessary ingredients for emotional and physical well being and for rewiring the brain.

We’re sure you are familiar with the typical process for writing and repeating affirmations — but we’d like to stretch your spiritual thinking to a whole new level by suggesting a contrarian type of affirmation statement. It goes against all the rules of being short, easily remembered, and to the point, but our experience with this technique has been incredible!

So here is a template that can literally transform the way you use affirmations in your life!

I have now transcended all patterns of ________________________________ (whatever the focus of your current experience is — this is your denial statement)

I’m free and _____________________________________________________ (statement of the end result, grounded in Truth Principles, which you are affirming)

My mind and body now manifest Divine _______________________________ (essence of the power of your affirmation desire)

I _______________________________________________________________ (statement of action – what you are doing that reflects the essence of your focus area)

I _______________________________________________________________ (follow-up statement of action, along with the benefit of performing the action)

I give thanks for ever increasing ______________________________________ (statement of the beneficial results)

I am a radiant expression of God! (final affirmation of the Truth of who you are!)

Here are a few examples:

Prosperity:

I have now transcended all patterns of lack.
I’m free and prosperous!
My mind and body now manifest Divine abundance.
I stand in the infinite flow of Divine riches.
I give and receive joyfully, as money flows to me easily and effortlessly..
I give thanks for ever increasing prosperity, knowing bills are paid with plenty to share and plenty to spare.
I am a radiant expression of God!

Forgiveness:

I have now transcended all patterns of anger and resentment.

I’m free and loving!

My mind and body now manifest Divine release and acceptance.

I embrace and celebrate the Divinity in others, celebrating their highest and best.

I forgive and release anyone who has injured or harmed me in any way, and experience incredible freedom, joy, and peace.

I give thanks for ever increasing love, appreciation, and joy.

I am a radiant expression of God!

Health :

I have now transcended all patterns of illness and pain.

I’m free and healthy!

My mind and body now manifest Divine perfection.

I love and accept my body completely.

I am good to my body and my body is good to me.

I give thanks for ever increasing health, beauty, and vitality.

I am a radiant expression of God!

 

Now … are you ready for a mega-boost in Consciousness?  As we focused on our SHOOT acronym: Spiritually Honoring Only One Truth, we had a Divine Idea that energetically boosts everything to a whole new level! If the “ONE TRUTH” is that there is no separation and our ultimate purpose is to be the best Christ we can be—and if we are striving to be in 100% alignment between our Christ Self and our human self, then why not go for the whole enchilada? Instead of separating out each area of our life we want to work on, why not use this template to affirm the Absolute, All-encompassing Truth of who we are? So here’s a first “shot” of our Mega-Boost SHOOT from the Lip:

 

I have now transcended all patterns of error and separation.
I’m free and Divine!
My mind and body are in sync with Spirit.
I think, speak, and act at my highest, most elevated level of Consciousness.
I am Divine, I am Worthy, I am One with my Christ Self. I live life abundantly, peacefully, and joyfully.
I give thanks for the perfect alignment of my human self with my Divine Nature.
I am God expressing through the Christ as me.

 

This may be a little too “out there” for now – so feel free to start with the separate, specific areas you want to deal with. Wherever you are in Consciousness, this template can help you create a dynamic, power-packed affirmation that is Truth centered. Never forget that you are God expressing, and you can do everything Jesus as the Christ did … and more! He told us that! When you truly believe it, and make a habit of Shooting from the Lip … Spiritually Honoring Only One Truth with everything you say, you really can walk the spiritual path on practical feet!

 

 

About the Authors: Combine a flair for the dramatic, a deep understanding of metaphysics combined with the teachings of Jesus, and a zest for ministry, and you have defined Revs. Bil & Cher Holton, the dynamic duo who serve as co-ministers for Unity Spiritual Life Center, Durham, NC. This exciting couple bring their love for Truth Principles to everything they do, and work together to create a center that lives its vision and mission in everything it does.They are prolific authors, and share their metaphysical and spiritual principles through their website: http://www.TheMetaphysicalBible.com

Have You Written Your Last Will and “Estimate?”: A Lesson in Planning for Spiritual Growth! (Luke 18:18; 20-24)

What are we going to do with a blog article entitled ‘Last Will and Estimate’? We can tell you it has nothing to do with estate planning and who gets what after you check out of your earth experience.

Our message in this blog is a check-up from the neck up. It’s about the estimated value of the decisions and choices we make. And the story we’re going to use as an example of the last will and estimate comes from Luke’s Gospel 18:18; 20-24. It’s about a rich young man who gets a reality check from Jesus. Here’s the story from the traditional, literal perspective — although we’ll be paraphrasing Luke’s Gospel to bring 21^st Century relevance to it:

A certain young executive approached Jesus and asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“You know the drill,” Jesus said. “Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not give false testimony; honor your parents; do not cheat on your income taxes; do not put recyclables in with the regular garbage; and do not text while driving.”

“I do all of these things,” said the generation Y Millenial.

When Jesus heard this he said, “Yeah, and you probably think you walk on water too, right! Look, you seem to have a lot of things going for you. But there’s one more thing you’ve got to add to you resume. If you truly want eternal life, you’ve got to sell everything you have – that includes your designer cloths, Mercedes, 501K, Wall Street portfolio, and Lady Ga Ga and Michael Jackson album collections – and then give all of the proceeds to the poor.”

When the rich young man heard this he said, “No way! I’ve worked hard for all of this. Besides, I own my possessions. They don’t own me. I give to charities. I tithe. Why, just last week I bought Girl Scout cookies. You’re saying I have to give up everything?”

Jesus nodded.

“I’m sorry. I can’t do that,” the rich young man said. “I’m generous to a fault. I don’t see why I have to give up everything.”

While there’s some truth to this story, it is grossly misleading. Worldly riches can, and often do, interfere with our spiritual growth. But that’s only a superficial version of what the story is about.

The literal version of the story implies that worldly things like living in a nice home, driving a nice car, enjoying a golf or tennis membership, being well-portfolioed, wearing a respectful amount of bling, owning time shares, spending weekends at the beach or mountains – make it difficult for us to get to heaven.

Traditional churches and religious cults have used this scripture to raise funds and separate people from their money for hundreds of years. The idea is to make people—rich and poor alike—think that having material things is a barrier to getting into heaven.

It’s not things that keep us out of heaven; it’s our attachments to those things that’s the issue. But the real issue is deeper than that.

Let us explain. As Unity ministers, our perspective of this whole conversation between Jesus and the rich young man sees it occurring between our ears. This is a story about self-talk. The dialogue is an internal one. From a metaphysical perspective, Jesus and the rich young man represent qualities within us.

The adultery, murder, and false witness mentioned in verse 20 refer to error thoughts, words, and actions. Here’s what this passage says from a metaphysical perspective:

The rich young man stands for material thoughts fixated on worldly attachments and over-consumption.

Jesus represents the Christ within us, our I Am Nature.

Eternal life means attaining Christ Consciousness.

Adultery means saying you love spiritual thoughts but live your life based on material thoughts.

Murder means turning divine order into diddlysquat order.

The poor refers to materialistic thoughts and beliefs.

Bearing false witness means pretending we’re on a spiritual path but loving materialism instead.

Honoring our parents means applying traditional spiritual truths that have stood the test of time.

Selling all we have means moving from a material consciousness to a spiritually attuned one.

So, you see, from a metaphysical perspective, this passage has nothing to do with things ‘out here.’ It is not talking about liquidating  assets or giving all we have to the poor.

It means we can have a giving consciousness AND a nice home, AND drive a nice car, AND enjoy a golf or tennis membership, AND be well-portfolioed, AND wear a respectful amount of bling, AND own time shares, AND spend weekends at the beach or mountains.

It means we can have things AND be a spiritual person. The metaphysical message in this passage is about our thinking. We will achieve inner peace, happiness, and prosperity when we move from a material consciousness to a spiritually attuned one.

It’s about choosing spiritual inclinations over material ones (not bearing false witness).

It’s about staying true to spiritual truths (not committing adultery).

It’s about applying eternal truths that have stood the test of time (honoring our parents).

It’s about transforming materialistic thoughts and beliefs (the poor) into Christed thoughts and beliefs.

The last will – which is our last thought, last word, and last action – is the best estimate of our spiritual potential.

Our ability to transform all of our material thoughts (the poor) into their spiritual equivalents is the best estimate of our spiritual growth.

About the Authors: Combine a flair for the dramatic, a deep understanding of metaphysics combined with the teachings of Jesus, and a zest for ministry, and you have defined the dynamic duo who are at the heart of The Metaphysical Website.Revs. Drs. Bil and Cher Holton are co-ministers of a growing church in Durham, NC, prolific authors, and dynamic speakers. Learn more by visiting them at www.TheMetaphysicalWebsite.com

Spiritual Wine Tasting! Metaphysical Interp of John 2:1-12

Remember the very first so-called “miracle” of Jesus? He was attending a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and they ran out of wine. So at the insistence of his  mother, Jesus asked the servants to fill six stone water jars with water, to the brim. He then told them to draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet, who then chewed out the bridegroom for saving the best wine till later in the evening (when presumably everyone had drunk so much they would not appreciate it!).

You can read the story for yourself in John 2:1-12. What we’d like to do here is take a deeper, more spiritual look at what this story tells us. First, let’s pick out some of the key words:

• third day = Divine Order (Mind/Idea/Expression)
• wedding = aligning or uniting the human self with the Divine self
• Cana = balanced spiritual energies
• Galilee = subconscious hang-ups of the past; ingrained life patterns
• Jesus’ mother, Mary =  superior intuition; Divine love
• Six stone jars = 5 senses ruled by the unenlightened intellect; rigid belief in materiality
• Jews = conventional religious beliefs
• 20 – 30 (gallons of water) = 20 is duality; 30 s everything. 20-30 represents seeing duality and separation in everything
• ceremonial washing = established religious dogma
• water = vital energy
• master of banquet = Divine Will at the highest level of consciousness
• wine is gone = failure to acknowledge our Divinity
• bridegroom = potentialized Christ nature
• choice wine = spiritual vitality
• servants = base human emotions and thoughts
• glory = actualized Christ potential
• Capernaum = a place of centeredness and peace

So, with these concepts in mind, let’s summarize, from a spiritual perspective, what this story is saying about our own journey of divine growth. When we come from our highest, most elevated level of Consciousness (3rd day), we realize that in the midst of the world of appearance (Galilee), we can experience balanced spiritual energy (Cana). If we discover we are not living from the Truth of who we are (wine gone), we can, from a place of Divine love (Mary), call forth our Christ nature to take charge over our human, ego-centered nature (servants … “Do whatever he tells you.”)

We become aware of our rigid past beliefs, and by connecting with the Christ nature within us, we use the transformative power of divine energy to transform our five senses to our highest, most elevated level. We use our Divine Power of Will (master of the banquet) to choose the highest, most Divine thoughts, and become one with the pattern of perfection that is the Christ of us. No matter how steeped in materiality we may be (too much to drink), we can still elevate our thoughts to the highest levels of Truth (saved the best till now). When we claim our christ nature, we can live at our highest level of Consciousness (glory). After that, we are able to  align our thinking and feeling natures (brothers and mother), and quicken all of our Divine Powers (disciples) so we live from a place of centeredness and peace (Capernaum).

Here are three key lessons from this story, that can help us live at our highest, most spiritual level of being in the midst of the world of appearance:

Be Aware: Know when the “wine is running out!” Learn to listen to your body, and realize when you are allowing your human ego to take over your spiritual nature. We all have signals that tell us we need to rekindle our spiritual self.

Be Bold: Jesus commanded the jars to be filled with water, then had the servants immediately draw some out to take to the master of the banquet. He did not doubt! He did not take a taste first himself, to be sure it worked. He stepped out on faith, believing and knowing. We can do the same. We are worthy and Divine, and according to Jesus’ own teachings, we can do what he did … and even more! But we must believe it, and step boldly out in faith, claiming the Truth of who we are.

Be Centered: Once Jesus completed this “sign which revealed his glory,” he went to Capernaum, which stands for centeredness and peace. As we get “prayed up” and make the time for a regular spiritual practice, we too can face anything the world of appearance throws at us from a place of centeredness and peace. Be still and know!

When we can face life and be aware, be bold, and be centered, we truly can walk the spiritual path on practical feet!

About the Authors: Combine a flair for the dramatic, a deep understanding of metaphysics combined with the teachings of Jesus, and a zest for ministry, and you have defined the dynamic duo who are at the heart of The Metaphysical Website.Revs. Drs. Bil and Cher Holton are co-ministers of a growing church in Durham, NC, prolific authors, and dynamic speakers. Learn more by visiting them at www.TheMetaphysicalWebsite.com