Keep a normal appetite or activity. Expend the self in study, in meditation; not by force but by the opening of self to recognize that as goes on about self. In this manner:
Each day before retiring, make a resumé—not just mentally but upon paper—of what have been the experiences of the whole day. Make this not only a rule but a rule to do; not to be studied, not to be exploited or shown or given to others, but for self! And do not read same after it is written for at least thirty days. And then note the difference in what you are thinking and what you are thinking about, what your desires are, what your experiences are!
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Our tendency is to prefer to think about things rather than to commit them to paper. The reluctance to write down ideals is a good example of this. Certainly it takes more time to keep a daily journal of our efforts with these experiments, but the work will show fruits. Through the written word we move our mental insights and understandings more fully into the physical world. This movement from the infinite, spiritual state of being into finite, physical expression is the essence of the Search for God approach.
 | 1Meditation |
“The eternal question that runs through life is this: What is truly valuable in thought, in activity, and in experience? Only from within can come a stable estimate of what is worthwhile.”
That which is valuable or worthwhile to us depends upon the direction in which we are growing. As that sense of direction changes, our values change. In the readings this life direction is referred to as an ideal, and a subsequent lesson in the Search for God material explores this concept in much greater depth.
An important statement from the readings is that we all have ideals even if we haven’t consciously set them. We judge certain thoughts, acts and experiences to be valuable because we have particular ideals.
Each individual entity, whether aware of same or not, sets before self an ideal in the material world, in the mental world, in the spiritual world.
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If we set our ideal in spiritual principles, we have a source of inner direction that is stronger than any outside influence. It is not that we refuse to listen to the ideas of others, but that our final decisions in life are based upon a standard that comes from within. The ideal becomes a measuring stick by which we are able to determine how we want to focus our energy and attention (physically, mentally and emotionally).
As a preliminary step to actually setting a spiritual ideal, it is helpful to many people to formulate a clear notion of what their ideals and life directions have been. An understanding of the past and present makes it more likely that we will choose an effective direction for the future. Even though you may never have carefully thought through what your ideals are, it will begin to be obvious to you if you complete the following exercise each day for a week: Before going to bed, write down those things that you did, thought or experienced during the day that you feel were valuable. For example:
1. I finished a report at work for which I was praised;
2. I was able to obtain two tickets to a play I’ve been wanting to see;
3. I had a good, leisurely dinner with my family;
4. I had a good prayer and meditation period.
At the end of a week you will likely see certain patterns in the items you have recorded. These patterns or recurrent themes will give you a clue as to the ideal you are living. If it doesn’t measure up to the highest that you know, it may be time to specify a spiritual ideal more in keeping with the direction in which you want your life to unfold.
Experiment: Take time at the end of each day to write down that which you thought, did or experienced during the past 24 hours which you feel was especially valuable.
“Prayer is the concerted effort of our physical consciousness to become attuned to the Consciousness of the Creator.”
Prayer and meditation go hand in hand. In fact, it might be said that one must learn to pray effectively before one can meditate effectively. The reason for this is found in an understanding of meditation as a twofold process. The first stage of the meditative process is the effort to awaken within the conscious mind an awareness that corresponds to the superconscious. The following diagram illustrates this:
In this diagram, the cross has been chosen as one symbol that can represent the awareness of our oneness with God. It has always existed as a pattern within the superconscious. In the first stage of meditation, we focus our attention on the spirit of a symbol (such as the words of an affirmation) so as to awaken within the physical, conscious mind that same awareness. This is precisely what we do in prayer: awaken and attune the conscious mind to the divine within. If we cannot pray effectively, if we cannot awaken within the physical consciousness this sense of our highest ideal, then we cannot move to the second stage of the meditative process.
The second stage of meditation is to hold in silence this awareness that has been awakened. In the words of the ancient Chinese book of meditation, The Secret of the Golden Flower, “that is the double method of making fast the enlightenment.”
When we first learn of meditation, our tendency may be to forget about or minimize our prayer life. Yet, if we are unable to awaken and attune the conscious mind to the spirit within, the period of stillness and silence of deep meditation will not bring the promised transformation. A separate time each day to practice sincere and effective prayer can be an important aid to our meditation life.
Experiment: As an activity separate from your meditation period, each day have a period of prayer (thanksgiving, confessional, petitionary, or whatever form you find meaningful that day).
“Individuals have found throughout the ages that preparation is necessary for deep meditation.”
“When we have cleansed ourselves in the manner that is to us the best, there will be no fear that our experiences will become so overpowering as to cause any physical or mental disorder.”
The energies that can be awakened in meditation are very powerful; and, as symbolized in the two-edged sword, these energies can be used for constructive or destructive purposes. Through our preparations for meditation we cleanse and attune the conscious mind and the physical body, making it possible for the energies to heal and uplift consciousness. By experimentation we must find the methods that work best for us. The criterion for judging whether or not to use a specific technique that we have tested should be this: “Does it stimulate within me a greater desire to know and serve God?”
For, each soul must come to know its own influence and that which is the most helpful. And if it calls then for self to cleanse the body without and within with pure water, or to fast, or to burn incense, or to set about self certain odors or colors of influences, then—as has been given—use these for thine own development, but be a seeker and a user of that which thou obtainest. For, not only the hearer but rather the doer gains, in its seeking through to the Infinite forces and influences.
Hence, whether it is desired from the experience to abstain from this, that or the other influence to obtain the better conditions in self, seek to know these—for thou art not dumb, my