One

Today Kim and I watched the move "One" which is an independent film that came out in 2004/2005. It was created by a man who woke up one day with a burning desire to make a film based on perceptions of the World and, together with two other people who had no film experience at all, set out to interview some of the top spiritual leaders and thinkers of this century.

The basis of this film was centered around 20 main questions which Kim and I have been pondering since seeing this feature. We thought it would be interesting to post the questions here and get some responses from our readers.

1. Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
2. What is the relationship between science and religion?
3. Why are so many people depressed?
4. What are we all so afraid of?
5. When is war justifiable?
6. How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
7. How does one obtain true peace?
8. What does it mean to live in the present moment?
9. What is our greatest distraction?
10. Is current religion serving it's purpose?
11. What happens to you after you die?
12. Describe Heaven and how to get there.
13. What is the meaning of life?
14. Describe God.
15. What is the greatest quality humans possess?
16. What is it that prevents people from living to their full potential?
17. Can't do this one because it requires a non-verbal response.
18. What is your one wish for the world?
19. What is wisdom, and how do we gain it?
20. Are we all One?

I have my thoughts but I don't want to respond just yet. I will say that there is a general theme, in my mind, that runs through most of these.

I'm really curious to see what you all think!

-- Jenn

Timing

I had a great disappointment yesterday and I found myself turning to my Spirituality. That was a fantastic moment because it was a completely unconscious mindset, which proves to me that I'm making progress in my journey!

My parents extended a fantastic offer to my husband and I last week that involved helping us to finance a house in their neighborhood. We saw the house, fell in love, and then my world fell in around us on Wednesday night when my husband said the horrible words, "It's just too much for us."

I cried, I blamed, I got angry. I became a monster inside and spent a great deal of time trying to figure out the center of my anger. Yes, I loved the house, loved the possibility of getting out of this slowly decaying neighborhood I'm in, adored the thought of living within walking distance of my parents... But there was more.

My husband worked the whole day pushing and pulling numbers. He talked to everyone he knew to talk to. He called banks, came up with plans, did some yelling, all while I sat here numb. I did some math of my own, but didn't come up with much (being dyslexic in these situations causes me more grief than results), but I did begin to feel better about it all at around noon on Thursday. I was a bit surprised, but I'm a "hard and fast" griever so I went with it.

We had a contract written up that night and, when ready to send it, got the word that a previous contract had just been received. Ours wasn't needed.

Now, I was expecting complete emotional destruction on my part. I couldn't believe that after all of that work, heartache, fighting, and detestation, that the Universe would just take what I wanted from my grasp!.... But, nothing happened. I was disappointed, but that's all: Disappointed.

I did some treatment work about the situation and then thought a lot about it all last night and this morning. It is so unlike me to look into defeat and just shrug my shoulders, but I have. I am still half waiting for a breakdown, but I just don't feel it, which makes me think that I'm beginning to get some control over my life.

That's what it boils down to, right? I think I freaked out in the beginning because I felt like I had no control over our situation; that we were stuck where we are. Then, when I saw there was a chance to change our position, I was able to calm down and relax. As for the disappointment in losing the house? I can only explain that by control as well. I did treatment work (control because I have Faith in the results) and, because I can accept that all of this fell apart for a reason, I experienced another aspect of control.

I truly believe the Universe did what it needed to do to keep me and my family safe, and who am I to argue that?

--- Jenn

May 4th

Rev. Nikki was sick today so the "Roving Rev" Maria filled in. She was great; I really enjoy when I hear 'new' people's delivery of the Science of Mind thought.

Rev. Maria discussed how our minds are like gardens. Now, I know we've all heard that analogy before, but humor me by reading through this because there's a lot to be said for listening to someones viewpoint for half and hour...

"There is a time and a season for every purpose", just like there is a time and a season within our gardens. I really like that mental image because, as I get older, I've found that there is a lot in life that has come and gone. Some things I'm glad to see disappear, but there are other things I'm sad to see end. If I use the above quote to sort of describe the events that cause me sadness, I can see there there really are reasons for the endings. I may wish that I could get these things back again, but in reality their season really has come to end, either because I've changed so much that they no longer hold a place in my life, or the situations themselves were keeping me from growing into the person I want to be.

In going along with those thoughts, there is the premise that forms constantly change. Some forms have to stay the same in order to counteract this phenomenon, the greatest of which is, of course, the Universe, but there are others like love, knowledge.... Because these constants are always constant, we must practice "non-attachment" to those things that do change. This is a hard concept for me to grasp because, in all reality, the way I approach things is hard-driven and 'in it till the end'. Of course, as I think of all the things that have changed these past few years, all of the situations include me giving my whole heart, giving 100% of myself to every one of them. And, why was that? Because I truly viewed them all as "forever," just as I do most things.

In thinking of the mind, it stands to reason that "we get exactly what we plant". Just like gardening, when we 'plant' something (thoughts vs. seeds), the soil doesn't judge or try to change what's planted there; it just cultivates what is. An amazing concept in it's simplicity, but that's what makes it such a great Truth!

Another topic was one about Joy. If we as people aren't experiencing Joy, what's missing? Sometimes we just need to get back to basics in order to recapture that Joy, and sometimes we need a little more, but the fact of the matter is that most times where we're "off center" it's the basics we've forgotten about. Just like when we studied math in school, if we didn't have the basics down, the rest of it just couldn't make sense, right?

Everything we need in life is within us, and just like a seed, we just need to cultivate it to make it bloom. If we could stop thinking "Life would be better when...." and start thinking of how we can bloom where we are, just think of how much happiness and contentment we'd have just by being us!

--Jenn

Needing to Hear

Today they spoke about finding your oasis in the desert. It was a wonderful sermon, and it was just what I needed to hear.

I've been feeling a little down the past few days, worrying about finances and other such things, and then on Friday night our air conditioning broke. Living in Florida without a/c is almost unthinkable, and when it happened all I could do was cry because I know that a new a/c unit is thousands of dollars. We don't have hundreds of dollars, let alone thousands! So, this event coupled with some other things that have happened led me to give up. I am usually the one to find positive in everything, to point out what good can come of something, but this was all too much to bear. I even said, "That's it. I don't care anymore. We never get ahead as hard as we try, so I'm over it. I'm done."

I wasn't going to go to Church this afternoon (a sure sign that I needed to go) but my mom comes with me now and I know she needs it. She was diagnosed with breast cancer two months ago (her second time) and I know she finds a lot of peace within the walls of the Church, part of which comes from us going together, so I got myself together to go.

I'm glad I did! The discussion centered around mirages and how they are real concrete things that exist somewhere but appear somewhere else, and how we as humans allow the same occurrence within our own lives to manifest in doubt and fear. For instance; The air conditioner breaking this weekend was true and real enough, but my fear about not having the money to fix it is the mirage; the image of my uncertainty manifesting as disbelief. This disbelieving in God's ability to provide what I need is in itself a mirage! Because of this I know I need to reevaluate myself and my feelings, my inner self and my confidence that I will have the means for the repairs. The other part of this scenario, the means of not getting one's self trapped into following a mirage, is to stop focusing on the horizon. That is, stop looking at the future and the "what ifs" and "if x than y," because that takes the focus off of the now and on the Truth that we know and feel within ourselves.

As I thought more about this, I realized a few interesting things. One is that the temperatures here in Florida are unseasonably low, so we haven't even needed the a/c and won't for a few days. Secondly, by the time we do need it, my overtime should come through and we should be OK. Thirdly, why am I starting to doubt the Universe now? In all the years past we have struggled financially but we have survived. We have had close calls many, many times, and somehow the Universe has provided for us in one way or another. Where some people have a lot of money at their disposal and lack in other areas of their life, we seem to lack in the finance area, yet thrive in all the other major aspects of life. This is what I am thankful for, and I have to remind myself that money really isn't everything, even though it is nice to have.

It's amazing how frustration and fear can manifest itself in so many different ways! I recognize it in myself when I get angry because I know that's how I deal with emotions... What about you? How do you deal with emotions of unrest and unknowing? Is it something you can change? Is it something you want to change, or are you comfortable expressing and feeling things the way you do? How can you go about changing?....

--Jenn

Nothing Is Real To Us Unless We Make it Real

Yesterday's message was, as usual, right on point for me. Paraphrased, it was that we can't try to shape our lives by trying to manipulate what we need. We spend so much time trying to "fit a square peg in to a round hole" that we miss what is right in front of us! By having such preconceived notions of what is good for us, we sometimes walk right by what is being offered.

I've been working on this a lot the past few months. When I find myself getting focused on one thing, trying to figure out how to make it work without really analysing the problem and all the possibilities, I stop myself and remember that the Universe knows what I need. I have lessons to learn and experiences to be lived, yet the Universe will ultimately provide for me as needed. I have to trust, to have faith, that it will work out just as it should. Don't get me wrong; I do ask for what I want, but I have changed the way of my request. Rather than giving specifics I give a general outline and I make sure to add that what I want must be "for the higher and greater good of everyone involved."

True, the very act of asking for something gives me a sense of control, plus it slows my thought process enough to flip my situation around and find the positive in it. For instance; I've found that when I get disappointed by people's behavior I take a step back and think about why it's happening in my life. What am I learning from it? Is there something that I'm meant to see? Is there somewhere that it's going to lead me? More often than not I find my anger lessening, a greater understanding about the issue occurs, and in turn I get that control over my life back. Now, sometimes I'm slow in finding the answer or the answer ends up being something that I don't want to hear, but I always find the Truth in it at the end.

I have put in to action some of the things that I have learned and come to understand since I started living this Truth and I can honestly say that my life is that much better for it. I have stepped away from situations that were poison to me, distanced myself from people who hurt me or didn't respect my place in their life, and I've managed to see many instances where I've gotten in the Universe's way and, in turn, am learning how to step aside. There is much, much more for me to learn, but I am confident that I am on the right path!

-- Jenn

First Sunday of Advent

Today we lit the first candle of the Advent Wreath: The candle of Hope- the hope of what is to come! In the Church of Religious Science they use the Advent Wreath as a symbolic way to remember some of the people who helped the world get ready for this new awakening of the God Light within us. Each week we will be lighting one candle in gratitude, acknowledging all of the people who allowed the Truth of God's Light to shine through them as willing servants of God life and love.

The discussion today was "Dissolve the Darkness of Discontent" and it was a pretty powerful message. As usual, the lead practitioner stated that we would hear the messages we were meant to hear and, as usual, she was right! I found a few things especially poignant for me due to some things that are going on in my personal life so I thought that I'd share them here in hopes that they may bring someone else some comfort as well.

A very important message today was the validation of peoples sadness around the holidays. Rev. Niki made a special point to remind us that the season holds underlying reminders of loss for a lot of people and that it's important to acknowledge the sadness during this time of year; especially because there is such a pressure from society to happy and full of joy! So, let us remember that when we come in to contact with people we don't know, or even those that we do; we have no way of knowing what sort of unhappiness their hearts may be experiencing.

There was also an interesting message about moving forward in life, that anything that hinders the current of life leaves us only with stagnation. I was thinking bout this a lot because I know many of us feel 'stuck' in our roles sometimes. Be it our role as mother or father, caretaker, workaholic, always cheerful friend, we sometimes feel smothered by the expectations we set forth for ourselves as well as by those that others set for us, be they real or imaginary. I believe that it's important, especially when we feel like this, to push forward as hard as we can. I think that it's these times that truly show us who we are and what we are capable of!

"In the darkness, the deep darkness that can sometimes come forth, lays the opportunity for some of the greatest light."

And so it is.

Exercise #1: Power of Positive Thinking

Take a moment and think about your thoughts. I know that sounds redundant, but hear me out! Most of us have one or two thoughts that are constant and are negative in nature. For instance: "I have no money," or "I'm lonely." These are thoughts that are unconscious most times but affect us.

Take that thought (or thoughts) and reverse them. Make them positive! Write them down if you wish. For example: If your thought is about having a lack of money, start thinking about yourself with money. Feel it. Believe it! Imagine what you'll get with the money you have. Not when you have it, but as if you have it already. Visualize your bank balance at what you wish it would be. Feel what it's like to get checks in the mail. Don't think of it as "I want to get out of debt" but rather "I have what I need and this is what I have."

A great tool for this is to create a "Visualization Board". Just like they discuss in The Secret, cut out pictures of things that you want to obtain. Write out affirmations that you want to live by. Put this board up where you'll be able to see it, and experience it. Live it! Feel the wind as you sail on your yacht. See yourself in that new car.

Try this for a week. That's the goal. Be as real as you can and truly believe.

See you in a week!

Why We Started Soul Searching Sisters

We met through a local Mom's Group. It took a while for us to get to know each other, but when we did we knew that we had met a like-minded person.

From this discovery we began to search for answers. We talked about the Universe and energy. We discussed positive thinking and the laws of attraction. We thought about coincidences versus verification from the Universe. The question was: What to do with all of this? Where could we go to put these thoughts in motion and where could we see these same thoughts manifest?

We began to read. We began to talk. We began to learn. The result is this blog.

Welcome!