Thursday, November 18, 2010

Letter on Poise - Edward A. Kimball

POISE


THE consciousness of the individual is poised some
where in the realm of thought. The poise of the perfect man is in perfection "a state of self-knowledge, dominion, grandeur, repose, superb appreciation." 

Here is an important strategic point in your spontaneous or speedy transformation. In a certain sense your poise will save you, because your poise is your real appreciation of being. Ascend constantly to your highest altitude and plane of equanimity, self-reliance, and mental culture. Ascend above the plane of concept whereon the ordinary trash of human belief can move you and substitute itself for your natural peace. Maintain your peace and happiness by refusing to descend into the mud of cheap human rubbish, and know that your composure can-not be upset by every or any mortal who can be used to wallow in the mud. 

We have a fundamental ability to do everything that it is right to do, and to manifest improved beliefs of ability and accomplishment as we go along. We ought to do everything spontaneously, without process or progressive steps. Deny the belief of limitation, obscuration, obstruction, and development. We do not need a long process of development, because all Truth is already developed, and is ours now. 

There is always the right thing to do, and you may declare always that you can know what it is. By opening up your thought and accomplishing a state of receptivity, you will be surprised to find how much will come to you as a sort of revelation. Avoid self-depreciation. It is always a step backward, and will keep you down on a low level. 

Nothing that anyone may think can possibly harm you. Do not believe otherwise. Fear is an utter fiction. It is always about nothing ; or rather it is about its lie concerning something. It is never yours. There is no such thing as "my fear." Exclude it by keeping it at arm's length. 


There is no matter to be cured or changed. Nothing needs to be changed but a belief. 

Remember that these beliefs appear only to disappear. Therefore be not afraid.

This letter address was given to the 1921 commencement at Harvard University by Edward A. Kimball C.S.A.











Lack Article by Edward A. Kimball




Lack is a sin—it does not matter if it is a belief of lack of supply, business, bodily condition or what.  Mind has a boundless supply of everything (everything) no distinction.  You exist at the very base of all supply and there are no human conditions, or beliefs, or combinations of circumstances to interfere with the flowing of that supply.  If you will take that position you will see it work out in every relation.  When you have taken that position, watch the suggestions that would deny your position; it may be a belief of lack of opportunity, belief of competition.  Opportunity is ever present, it hasn’t gone by,—it means a chance to act, a favorable chance to accomplish certain things; it is included in Mind, and man is the exhibition of all in Mind.  Man exists at the very standpoint of all opportunity to achieve; so he has infinite opportunities and can’t get away from them—any of them.  Man has every quality necessary for all good.

Your opportunity to act does not come from other people but through this—not bound down to one little way of earning a living—Mind, men, supply, opportunity—if we feel we have no opportunity we are denying Christ.  Man exists at the very standpoint of all supply, all substance.  Mind supplies you with every idea which goes to make up capacity and ability to achieve.  Mind supplies in this way all the time.  Mind is the basis of all supply and man is one with it.  If you think your supply can come from just one thing, as stenography for instance, where is your consciousness?  “Consciousness Where Art Thou?”

If you think you are fitted for something better, take the stand that you do exist at the very standpoint of expressing all that is in Mind.  That recognition places you at the fundamental basis of opportunity and supply.  When you have done this, don’t settle down into a rut; you must use the ability you have.

Man is God-active; so think of it as God acting and not as God helping man,—God acting in man.  You must allow yourself to progress.  You can displace all these things through the activity of right, intelligent ideas.  Be alert,—work is necessary.  There is no mind to stand between you and progress.  You must not dream for a minute that you can fail.  It may take work to do this because of the beliefs of obstruction; so don’t be fooled by them.  You can do it for God is the source of the opportunity.  You should gain all things for Christ, you don’t have to give up anything.  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you.”  You have got to meet the claims of mortal mind—you must not think that God will take care of it and it will come out all right; that is old theology.  There must be activity—intelligent activity.

Man is the enforcement of the law of God.  There is no need of man’s not having, doing, being what is right.  We all possess the (whole) of that law and the (whole) of the power to enforce that law, and man has dominion.  Your business does not depend on you as a mortal,—it is the outcome of God, of Principle, and if you let that in it will expand your business.

One effort of evil is to deplete Christian Scientists financially and this thru the church.  R. C. is back of the desire to disrupt the C. S. church thru quarrels, jealousy, depletion, etc.  There is the claim of power to disturb the business man, the housewife, practitioner, etc.  This is the impulsion of mortal mind to destroy the cause of C. S.  If you watch there is no need of these things.  The one enemy today seems to be centered on these things.  Watch and don’t let them enter consciousness.  You are the enforcement of the law of God on your own behalf.  We must avoid thinking there is something to be removed by C. S. treatment; if we don’t, we are apt to get self-hypnotized.

Whatever the obstruction seems to be in business or anywhere else, don’t think of it as a natural condition with a law back of it, or in any way that will mesmerize you into seeing it as something.  It is a claim of mortal mind, and even if it is not met instantly, stick to it; enforce the law of God to that obstruction until it melts away.

Belief in lack seems to be universal and comes from the belief that God is incomplete.  There is no need for your lacking things.  It is right for the son of God to be prosperous and his supply is sufficient for always “and his allowance was a (continual allowance) given him by the king, a (daily rate) (for every day), all the days of his life.”  II Kings 25:30.

We must very often know that everything is complete and perfect, and we have only to break down the beliefs that argue against completeness and perfection.  The hatred and suggestions which come from MD’s and RCs and other occult forces act to deplete if we let them in; the blame rests with each of us if we let in evil suggestions.  Some of the manifestations of these suggestions are temper, hatred, apathy, criticism, depression, conceit, discouragement, gossip.  If laziness or hard to get a scientific basis of business problems, etc., seem to be present, it is because you have taken in suggestions from this hatred of Truth.  If you believe in lack, it is nothing but these suggestions that would make you lack,—the attempt to make you lack understanding, lack in business and everything.

Whence come the suggestions that you cannot get employment, right wages, etc.  They are nothing but suggestions and you know how to destroy them.  Because these suggestions are being made active in general human thought, we need to be very watchful and see that we do not take in any.  They are due to the animus attempting to destroy C.S.  Taking them in is why we lack employment, business, etc.  You must be awake to these suggestions and not try to hide behind a belief of self-justification.  If you will hold to S.&H. 442:30 about all with whom you come in contact, in church matters and elsewhere, that will straighten out your trouble,—whether business or not.  Otherwise you are opening your consciousness to the suggestions which are sent out to deplete and your mental atmosphere is not clear enough to recognize them.  If you are alert to recognize m.m’s. thinking, it can’t interfere with your dominion.

   “Christian Scientists, be a law to yourselves that malpractice cannot harm you either when asleep or when awake.”  442:30.
Elijah, in his demonstration with the oil, knew that everything already exists in Mind as idea, that Mind enforces its action thru its ideas, and he was that idea.  He thus proved dominion over lack.

A complete Cause could not hold within itself any belief of lack.  In the case of property or anything for sale, overcome first the fear that nobody wants it, then know there is some one, (but don’t outline who) who wants it and to whom it will be of use; and there are no thoughts to keep buyer and seller apart.  Watch your thought.  Meet intelligently everything m. m. is saying or thinking on the matter and it will come to you.  The fulfillment is breaking down the argument of m. m.  Now don’t spoil the demonstration by any kind of fear, don’t fear that someone might interfere; a thought to interfere would not be in God’s thought, so there is no thought to interfere.

Property is not matter,—it is Mind expressed.  There is no sense in so much lack.  God is infinite.  Then He includes all and is All.  The very nature of Mind is to give forth; it cannot withhold anything.  Then since it includes all the supply it is yours.  It is God’s business to give and man’s to receive.  Man, then, receives what God has to bestow; there isn’t anything but man to receive it.  You have a right to everything included in Mind.  When you have reached the point where you can see this, be alert.  Your declarations are prayer; make them and then have intelligent activity.  In prayer for employment, make your declaration and then seek employment.

Lack is one thing we have to look out for at the present time, and we must recognize this and overcome it.  Why we don’t overcome it is because we are listening to the tempter.  Don’t admit lack.  If it tries to whisper to you turn on it and demolish it by seeing that Mind is all inclusive.  Back of lack is somewhere the fear that we won’t have enough.  That wrong sense on your part will stop investments, will stop dividends, etc.

We become discouraged because we make problems a personal matter.  My lack, my disease, my problem, my business, etc.
     The conditions in m.m. (material mind) are not yours (ours) at all.
II Kings 25:30.

This paper was found among several Christian Science papers.  The initials E. A. K.  (for Edward A. Kimball) was typed in the upper right corner.


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