| Unity Online Reprint: The Secret
April, 2007
Dear Friend,
The buzz about it is everywhere. “It,” of course, is The Secret as presented in the popular film and companion book by Rhonda Byrne, as well as panel discussions on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Not without controversy, its phenomenal success indicates a deep hunger for positive, spiritual ways to improve our lives.
As part of Unity’s contribution to the discussion, we’d like to offer our support to you and others who would like to learn more about this and other spiritual laws and how to effectively apply them in your life. Unity has been quietly teaching spiritual principles like the Law of Attraction—which is The Secret—for 118 years. This has always been our mission and our passion.
A Complete Package
The Law of Attraction, also called the Law of Mind Action, is one of five basic Unity principles and we express it as follows: “We are
co-creators with God, creating reality through thoughts held in mind.” What we think about most, supported by strong feelings and actions, eventually shows up in our lives. It’s a complete package deal with all parts of us in sync. And when we take personal responsibility for making life-affirming choices involving our whole beings, we experience a more fulfilling and abundant life.
Unity cofounder Charles Fillmore explained it this way: “It is the law of Spirit that we must be that which we would draw to us. If we would draw to us love, we must be love, be loving and kind; if we would have peace and harmony in our environment, we must establish it within ourselves.”
Seek God First
Unity emphasizes the importance of aligning our thoughts with the mind of God—of seeking God’s will, not forcing our own. When we pray for the desires of our hearts, we affirm the highest good for ourselves and all others involved. And since only God sees everything from the highest perspective, we seek God first in everything.
Jesus, our Way Shower, taught, “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt. 6:33). In other words, align yourself completely with God Mind and everything you need in this world will flow your way. That’s the Law of Attraction in action.
Gifts From the Source
Spiritual principles are universally available. They are gifts from the one Source of all life. As with gravity or the very air we breathe, there is really nothing secret about these universal laws. Jesus taught them to everyone who was ready and willing to learn, regardless of their social, political, or religious status. All the inspired masters throughout human history have done the same. Spiritual principles are the laws of the universe, available to anyone “with ears to hear” and “eyes to see.”
Support From Unity
If you would like to grow in your understanding of spiritual principles and how to apply them effectively in your life, Unity has many ways of supporting you:
- Affirmative
Prayer.
Call Silent Unity at 1-800-NOW-PRAY (669-7729) anytime, day or
night, or visit Silent
Unity to submit your personal prayer request.
- Inspiring
Publications. Find inspiration and insight for
spiritual growth through Daily
Word® and Unity
Magazine®, as well as many books, pamphlets, CDs,
and other helpful products.
- Spiritual
Retreats. Renew your spirit, expand your mind,
and energize your body at one of our theme-based retreats at
beautiful Unity Village.
- Online
Classes. Discover greater enlightenment
through Unity’s Spiritual Education and Enrichment classes, both
online and on
campus.
- Unity
Churches. Throughout the country and around
the world, Unity communities of faith will support you in your
spiritual quest.
In the next two monthly e-newsletters, we will continue our discussion of The Secret and how Unity can support you in applying it (and other spiritual laws) to all aspects of your life.
The Secret is out ... so let’s apply it openly and fully as we turn ever more to the one true Source of all good!
Your friends in Unity,
www.unityonline.org
PS: One practical way of attracting what we want is to avoid complaining, which tends to draw to us what we don’t want. A Unity minister in Kansas City, Missouri, was inspired by a divine idea that has spread like wildfire, including an appearance on Oprah. Check it out at his church’s Web site:
AComplaintFreeWorld.org.
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to Say a Prayer
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May, 2007
Dear Friend,
Last month we began a discussion of The Secret—from the Unity perspective. The Secret, of course, is the immensely popular and controversial subject of a DVD and companion book by Rhonda Byrne.
A Spiritual Gift
Like most everyone else, we at Unity have been discussing this publishing phenomenon with great interest. In general, we feel that The Secret may well be a spiritual gift for our world. It offers an introduction to the subject of the creative power of thought to an audience that might not otherwise have made the discovery.
For this, we are very grateful. Yet we’d like to help take the discussion even deeper into the spiritual realm with a few key ideas from Unity teaching. Fully grasped and practiced, they will transform your life as they have so many other lives.
In the book by Rhonda Byrne, The Secret is described as “the law of attraction,” or “like attracts like.” She explains, “What you think about the most or focus on the most will appear as your life.” If you think positively, positive things will happen. If you think negatively, negative things will happen. Very true, but there’s so much more ...
Beyond The Secret
Idea #1: As we said last month, Unity believes it is vitally important to align our thoughts with the mind of God—of seeking God’s will, not simply forcing our own. Unity’s version of the law of attraction states, “We are cocreators with God, creating reality through thoughts held in mind.” The more we seek God’s will as it unfolds through us, the more we attract that which truly fulfills and enriches us.
Idea #2: Also last month we asserted that positive thought requires positive action. What we think about most, when supported by strong feelings and actions, eventually shows up in our lives.
The Law of Giving and Receiving
Now we’d like to build on this idea of positive action by briefly presenting the law of giving and receiving. This is another spiritual principle that, when practiced with the law of attraction, adds amazing power to draw good into our lives. Jesus himself taught the law of giving and receiving when he said, “The measure you give will be the measure you get” (Mt. 7:2).
One of the criticisms of The Secret is that it focuses too much on receiving—that all it takes to obtain something desired is to think about it persistently and it will almost magically appear.
The act of giving, when done from the heart, transcends material desires and human ego by accessing the sea of divine substance from which all blessings flow. And since giving is an act of faith, it opens the channel for more good to flow into our lives. As St. Francis of Assisi said, “It is in giving that we receive.”
Give First
So if you desire more money, begin by giving from what you have. If you desire more love from others, love others first. If you desire more fulfilling work, give your best to the job you have. If you desire more health, give from the health you have. Do this believing that God will provide what you long for, and you will receive more—much more than you ever imagined. “For it is God’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:22-40).
Next month we will conclude our discussion of The Secret with ways we can apply spiritual principles in service to the world. God bless you with all the abundance you desire.
Your friends in Unity,
www.unityonline.org
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