A: These experiences of ups and downs are natural. Never in the history of the world has anyone been on the mountain top and stayed there. Even Jesus had to go away for forty days at a time. But through the study and practice of meditation and inspirational living, you approach a level which is not a mountain top but is a high place of understanding.
The degrees of ups and downs are the outcome of our human experiences, and the consciousness which we should attain is one which does not react to human experiences by going up too high, nor by descending too low. The Christ consciousness which Jesus had was not of this world; yet while not being of this world, it operated as his human experience. His state of consciousness became operative as individual consciousness and could be applied to the things of this world, although he, himself, said that his kingdom was not of this world.
The Hindu mystic may let his body die and may call that a spiritual demonstration insofar as “his kingdom is not of this world.” But Jesus said, in effect: “My kingdom is not of this world, and therefore, I lift my body up to that consciousness where my kingdom is, and I show forth my body as a spiritual body.” This great truth is illumination.
This is a world of reality. Here is the world of reality. Right here and now is God’s kingdom. This is not an illusion: This is God’s kingdom. The way we look at it, what we see through our eyes–that is the illusion. But the world, itself, is reality. That is why we do not heal or improve it. We merely change our concept of it, because it, itself, is perfect right here and now. You are the very Christ of God, the very life of God, made manifest. We see you through the eyes of human concept, imperfect, but you are perfect.
A Hindu mystic looks at this “illusion,” and closes his eyes and says, “This is not reality.” That is not correct. This that you see is not illusion: The illusion is the way you see it. When you see railroad tracks, that is not an illusion. The illusion lies in seeing them coming together. But the tracks, themselves, are very real. You are not illusion. You are the presence of God, but what we are seeing with our eyes is illusion. We are seeing an illusory concept of you. So what do we have to change—you, or our concept of you?
The Hindu mystic says, “This world is illusion, so I will not bother to heal the body at all. . . .” But the body is not illusion. It is the temple of God, according to the teaching of Christ Jesus. Let us never forget this: This is a spiritual universe. This is the kingdom of God, and the illusion is not this world, but the universal concept of this world. The only place this concept must and can be changed is in the practitioner’s thought. When the concept is healed in the practitioner’s thought, the patient responds. Why? Because the practitioner’s thought is the only place where he can behold an illusion.
When we go within with a desire to understand the spiritual kingdom, we can expect to see increased understanding take form as improved conditions. We go within and ask for the spiritual kingdom, and then it appears outwardly right here and now. When it does not appear, it is because your inner vision has not yet been changed: The light of the Christ has not yet touched it. See the world as Spirit. Seeing it as matter is the illusion. The world is not matter. This is a spiritual universe. Sin and disease are not actualities; they are illusion or mortal concept. Once you see that, you will never again try to heal the outside, as if it actually were something you could heal.
1This excerpt is from Consciousness Unfolding, Chapter 12, “Questions and Answers.” It is posted with kind permission from Acropolis Books.