Thoughts Are Things

“If when one prays his prayer is a recognition of Spirit’s Omniscience, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence, and a realization of man’s unity with Spirit, then his prayer is a spiritual treatment.” – Ernest Holmes It’s been a primary part of my work recently to remind others that the “go to” spiritual practice for us in New Thought is affirmative prayer, more commonly referred to, among those of us who are practitioners, as spiritual mind treatment. When I was studying to become a licensed practitioner, and ultimately a minister I spent a lot of my time looking at the use of prayer in faith traditions, and considering how it agrees or differs from the method we teach.

“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what [they] think into it.” - Ernest Holmes I find myself saying frequently, “this is a fundamental part of the New Thought teaching,” and I’ve started to wonder why. There is so much depth in the philosophy, and the philosophy in so many ways reflects the wisdom of the ages. I think I am settling into the personal need to allow the fundamentals to be at the root of my thoughts and experience. A sort of “back to basics” approach to living. The concept of beginner’s mind comes to the forefront of my thought in considering this. Beginner’s mind is something I strive for often as it keeps me out of judgment, and opens me to greater possibility and potential.

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15 Just after the Lord’s Prayer is this little follow up. It speaks to a very important aspect of creation… forgiveness. When we practice forgiveness (and it is a practice), we free our own minds to more infinite creative expression. When we release the attachment to our need to be right, allow forgiveness to be centered in our soul, we create a framework in our own minds and heart that opens up the floodgates of love. Basically, we reap what we sow.

In Matthew 6:9-13 it is written: “After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” The Lord’s Prayer is, perhaps, the most famous prayer in the world. It is also a challenge for many adherents to the new thought philosophy as it seems very dualistic in its nature.

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” - William Shakespeare (Hamlet Act 2 Scene ii) When we take the actual time to deeply consider our consciousness we begin the road to create change in our lives. The road map to change is consciousness, but that requires awareness. And all spiritual practice is about deepening awareness. An awareness of our unity with all things. This includes those beings of light whom we may have deemed enemies in our lives.

“[Jesus] lived in a world of spiritual realization far beyond that of which the average man has any understanding.” - Ernest Holmes Can we begin to accept that we can rise above averages, and that we don’t need to live in the consideration that Jesus, or any other mystical prophet, was somehow greater than we are? I think it’s time!

“Owning your own feelings, rather than blaming them on someone else, is the mark of a person who has moved from contracted awareness to expanded awareness.” - Deepak Chopra If there is one thing that I still see as a constant in our society, it is the capacity and seeming need we have to blame. It’s a challenge as a new thought minister to recognize this. It is also daily work to keep my own mind from moving to a place of blame when I am faced with certain experiences and circumstances that seem beyond my control. Today’s section of the sermon on the mount is a metaphor for this concept.

“The Science of Mind does not necessarily create a new religion or sect, for it may be added to any spiritual system of thought since it is a compliment to all.” - Ernest Holmes There is a great deal of confusion among even the most deep adherents to the Science of Mind as to whether we are a religion or something else. It’s pretty clear from Ernest Holmes’ view that this was never intended to be a religion. And it isn’t, in the same way Buddhism is not a religion. It is a philosophy and a way of life.

“The Universe and the light of the stars come through me.” - Rumi There is so much about us that is magnificent. Sometimes we forget. At least, I forget sometimes. Spiritual practice is all about remembering. This week I’ve spent some wonderful time remembering who I am and it is in perfect alignment with today’s continued deepening into the Sermon on the Mount.

Well… where the heck have I been? I start… I stop… there is no consistency. Well, I get it, the starts and stops can be a little challenging. The excuse I offer is this… on March 15 Tucson New Thought took possession of a new space that we are calling our full time home. Since that time I have been deep in trying to make sure the space was suited to our needs. I had broken down my home office and only today have I finally pulled together a semblance of an office space at the new Center location… and now I am able to start blogging again. So, where did we leave off? We were still on the Beattitudes, the first section of the Sermon on the Mount. Picking up with Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 8…

“In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” -Eric Hoffer How resistant are you to new things? This is a question I ask myself, not infrequently. To be honest, I think I have let go of a lot of resistance over the years, partially because I understand now that “what I resist persists.” When I am open hearted, I get to live in cooperation with God, with nature, and with humanity.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson What is a blessing? A standard dictionary definition would offer this: a blessing is “God’s favor and protection.” This a potentially a problematic concept for New Thought philosophy given that we do not teach the concept of God separate from the self. So if we are seeking God’s favor and protection, what does that mean? I think it means we can more deeply understand that blessing is an inside job of recognition. To recognize that we ARE God, we are always protected. We are always favored, but no more than anyone else. It becomes our life’s work then to pass the blessing on to others.

“When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them.” -Matthew 5:1-3 I had this thought today that I could do a little metaphysical interpretation of the New Testament. Now, before you settle into groans, let’s check in. There are many who come to New Thought teachings because they have had a previous relationship with Christianity that was less than ideal. As a result, there can be an attitude of resistance when New Thought ministers begin to utilize aspects of Christian teaching in their work. Yet, these same people will fully embrace teachings of other faith philosophies (like Buddhism, Hinduism, and the like) just because they are different.

“Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.” -Harold S. Kushner Where is the evidence of our love? Is it in the words we use? Is it in the actions we take?

“Heaven–as you call it–is nowhere. Let’s just put some space between the w and the h in that word, and you’ll see that heaven is now…here.” -Neale Donald Walsch There is an idea that’s been ruminating in my mind this morning. It’s a little bit of a trap. I sometimes find it difficult to be here now. Do you? The practice of being present is so big in our culture right now… and it is one of the most challenging aspects of living a spiritual life. I find myself stuck between my thoughts of who I once was, and who I want to be… not who I am right now. That is a trick of the mind. It’s a little bit of a tennis match, and where I would like to be is perfectly situated and balanced on the net.

“A diamond has many polished facets and it takes them all to make it shine in its full beauty.” -Emma Curtis Hopkins Today I am feeling full of life. I am so grateful for this existence and for all the magnificence that accompanies me on the journey of time and space. I relish in the multiplicity that is derived from unity.

“People wrap themselves in their beliefs. And they do it in such a way that you can't set them free. Not even the truth will set them free.” -Michael Specter How certain we are that we are right. To believe we are right is the most limiting belief we can have. And I admit, I believe I am right… but I am willing to be wrong. So I keep exploring.

“I know they make fun of me, but actually all these years people have thought the joke was on me, but it’s actually been on the public. I know exactly what I’m doing and I can change it at any time… I am sure of myself as a person.” -Dolly Parton Yesterday was a very full day. It wasn’t supported by my decision to sleep in later than usual. Clearly, though, I needed the time, and if I am going to be honest (and why would I be anything but honest) if I had made an entry yesterday in the blog and podcast it would have been forced. So today I am inspired, and that makes for a better experience all around.

“Studying many scriptures is pointless if one does not practice the wisdom contained within them.” -The Dhammapada Today is a beautiful and unexpected day. Well… every day is, really. We’ve just convinced ourselves to live in expectation. It’s more comfortable to do that.

“Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed nonage. Nonage is the inability to use one's own understanding without another's guidance.” -Immanuel Kant I have been on a particular journey of pressing against the establishment for more than a year. I have been pressing the boundaries of what is considered acceptable among some of my peers. I am a firm believer that as long as we remain in our safe zone, wrapped in comfort, we do not expand our sensibilities which lead to growth. For many years, at the beginning of my journey in ministry, I was an adherent to the dictates set forth by the greater governing organization. I say this with tongue slightly in cheek because I think I was viewed as rebellious.

“This isn’t a journey about becoming something. This is about unbecoming who we are not.” -Adyashanti Today I had this come up during meditation, “Are we liberated by or trapped in our spiritual practices?” I think the question is related to yesterday’s blog and podcast on allowing our practice to become rote. When practice becomes rote it eliminates effectiveness, and we cease to benefit from the growth. That is the time when I believe we are trapped. There are many other ways, I think, that we become trapped.

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” -Rumi In alignment with the concept of spiritual bypass I covered yesterday, there is another detrimental aspect of the spiritual life that can begin to take hold… if we are not paying attention.

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” -Carl Jung Last week, I completed five days of presenting some of the spiritual practices we utilize in this teaching. It was a good reminder to me that I deeply believe this approach to the experience of life has value and works to establish a new way of being.

“All illumination, inspiration, and realization must come through the self-knowing mind in order to manifest in man. Vision, intuition and revelation proclaim themselves through man’s self-knowing mind.” -Ernest Holmes To wrap up this week’s offering of spiritual practices to carry with you I am choosing to end with the practice of visioning. Visioning is a process whereby we purposefully and actively seek to tap in and make ourselves aware of the unlimited flow of the Infinite Mind. It is a practice of allowing, creating a space of receptivity within ourselves. Visioning is a tool we can turn to to find direction in our lives.

“Through prayer , life can become a continuing experience of health, happiness, success, joy, and abundance.”
-Ernest Holmes Prayer. It is the primary tool we use in New Thought to change our lives. In my branch of New Thought, Religious Science, we use an odd sounding term to refer to prayer. We call it spiritual mind treatment. In the teaching a common test question for students is, “Are prayer and spiritual mind treatment the same thing?” It is, of course, a loaded question. The answer is both yes and no.

“DAILY WE MUST CONTROL ALL THOUGHT THAT DENIES THE REAL; AFFIRM THE DIVINE PRESENCE WITHIN US; then, as the mist disappears before the sun, so shall adversity melt before the shining radiance of our exalted thought!” -Ernest Holmes

“There’s only one life. That life is God’s life. That life is perfect. That life is my life now.” -Ernest Holmes What do you think of when considering the word meditation? Are you like me when I first considered meditation? I could feel the anxiety well up, my heart felt like it was in my throat, my breath would quicken, and the first thought in my mind was, “I can’t meditate, what’s the point?” That was decades ago, for me, and I am grateful I worked through my anxiety (which in fact was supported by developing a meditation practice). My first knowledge of the practice of meditation was from around age 6. I was visiting my uncle in California, and I recall he had a dedicated space in his home for meditation. I was not allowed to enter that space. I thought it was strange that he would just sit there and do nothing.

“I would rather see a student of this Science prove its Principle than to have him repeat all the words of wisdom that have ever been uttered.” -Ernest Holmes Practice. The actual application of the method. Moving beyond theory. To become a living embodiment of the theory through practical application is what is requested of New Thought followers. So this week I am going to offer five practices to try, one for each day.

“The question, ‘What’s in it for me?’ is the internal dialogue of the ego. Asking, ‘How can I help?’ is the internal dialogue of the Spirit.” -Deepak Chopra What is yours to do? I just finished a great conversation with a dear friend and this question is what has come through as a result of that conversation. I have been telling a story for some time now that I had an awakening, an illumination moment in Toronto on Easter 2017 that has led me to this point… the point where I am now. On that date I stated aloud, “what was mine to do here is complete.”

“The only drag about adulthood is we think we need to act like an adult.” -Rev. Patrick Feren I just came across this quote from the time I was on the Sacred Journey of Childlike Wonder about a month ago. It was something I needed to hear today because I have been struggling a little with adulting in the last couple days. What does that mean exactly? It means that I was not finding joy in what may be considered the mundane tasks of living.

“Know that nothing can hinder you but yourself. If you believe you can, you can. You cannot fail if you start with the proposition that Life is all there is.” -Ernest Holmes How do we make it work? We don’t.  That’s the good and bad news of it all. I think I have been challenged by faith lately. It seems to be at the forefront of my mind, and it is being reflected around me. I was having a conversation recently with someone who is looking to make change in life and the question that kept coming up was, “What do I do?”

“When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out–because that’s what’s inside. When you are squeezed, what comes out is what’s inside.” -Wayne Dyer

I am trying something new. I have been wanting to return to podcasting after some time away. So I am offering my musings in both podcast and written form. You can listen. You can read, You can listen and read! Enjoy! To read the corresponding blog go to jonathanzenz.com Check out the work I am doing as the Founding Spiritual Director of Tucson New Thought by visiting tucsonnewthought.org.

There is only this moment. “The first principle fundamental to the understanding of the operation of thought is, that we are surrounded by an Infinite Intelligence. The possibility of healing … rests entirely on the theory that we are surrounded by an Infinite Mind, which reacts to our thought according to Law.” -Ernest Holmes

Our creative nature starts with our clear identity. But who are we? How do we identify ourselves? Identifying ourselves as Divine is a good start!

Ready to go deeper into Spirit? I am. Here I go. Ok... the Truth is none of us can go deeper into Spirit... because we ARE Spirit. Let us remember who we are! Divine identification enhances and enriches life! We get to decide what that enrichment looks like!

Every one of us has a song in our heart. Is it in harmony or discord with love? That is the question we should ask of ourselves.

Emerson: “A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his.”

There is a blessing and a curse in New Thought. The art of letting go addresses the path to freedom, and three practices serve your personal evolution!

Recorded Live at Dedicated Gluten Free Bakery and Coffee Shop.

What is our inherent birthright? If you guessed FREEDOM you are right! But, are we truly free? What are the ways we keep ourselves in bondage? It's all a matter of mind... that's it!

In the current political climate of the USA, freedom is a big talking point. As we are about to celebrate Independence Day, let's move to the core of what true freedom is.

At the root of the New Thought faith tradition is action. We take action though spiritual practice. Do you have a spiritual practice?

When it all fell apart, there was only one thing to do... be grateful.

When our brain agrees with the hallucination, we call it reality.

When we align with the three keys we are more easily able to settle into the spiritual blueprint from which all things physical arise!

I am back! It's been a ride returning to Tucson, Arizona after 21 years and staring a new Spiritual Center. It was never my intention to let the podcast go for so long... but it happened. Now I am returning to a regular practice of posting podcasts.

"Find me one person who is for something and against nothing, who is redeemed enough not to condemn others out of the burden of his soul, and I will find another savior, another Jesus, and an exalted human being.” - Ernest Holmes Thank you to the Douglas Family for allowing me to incorporate the speech given by 14 year old Tillie Douglas, at the March For Our Lives Tucson

Audio taken from a Facebook Live Video posted in celebration of the first small gathering of Tucson New Thought.

YESTERDAY'S READING:144.3-146.1TODAY'S READING:146.2-148.4Move away from a constant need to focus on the mechanical aspects of changing your thoughts and develop a technique for constant constructive thinking!

TODAY'S READING:140.3-141.2Jonathan sounds a little froggy. He welcomed in a head cold unknowingly and it set the tone for what he wanted to talk about today!Life is NOT about struggle! Let it go!