Unity Correspondence School
Lessons In Truth - Lesson 1
1976 Annotations by Ed Rabel

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LESSONS IN TRUTH

ANNOTATIONS

January, 1976

By Ed Rabel

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LESSONS IN TRUTH

Lesson 1 BONDAGE OR LIBERTY, WHICH?

1. What is the primary cause of suffering?

1. The primary cause of human suffering is man's own consciousness. A realization of this helps us to start off on the right foot in our overcoming of suffering in any of its forms.

Suffering is not something that exists outside of the person whose consciousness causes it, any more than pleasure is. Suffering is our own reaction to the results of our own erroneous states of consciousness. Negative thoughts, negative emotions, erroneous beliefs do become manifest, since the law of mind action says that "like attracts like and like begets like."

Error and negativeness in consciousness have arisen because, in some manner, mankind in general seems to have lost sight of its spiritual origin, spiritual nature, and spiritual purpose. We are in the habit of regarding ourself as a physical creature, limited within our material environment, and very often subject to our mental and emotional whims and impulses. This engenders a host of erroneous beliefs and negative thoughts and feelings. These may manifest, and when they do we react to them in such a way that we experience that mysterious and unpleasant something called "suffering. "

Since suffering is caused by negative and erroneous states of consciousness, then it must follow that the overcoming of suffering is brought about by correcting those errors and changing our states of consciousness by means of positive and truthful thoughts and feelings. We can begin this by learning more about the true nature of God, the true nature of our own being, and the Truth of our oneness with God.

To know God as our Father, then to know ourself as a son of our Father, then to begin to express our inner spiritual attributes will lead us out of all bondage to any form of suffering.

2. What is the one true source of all our good?

2. The one and only true source of all our good is the presence of God within us as His own spiritual image and likeness. His Spirit indwells us as Christ.

God within us is literally the fountainhead of all divine ideas, which are fully available to us in all their truth and purity. It is from our acceptance and expression of these divine ideas that all the good forms come into existence to bless us and our life.

3. What does it mean to be an heir of God? To what are we heirs?

3. To be an heir of God means first of all to be a child of God. As a child of God each person is entitled to all that the Father has for him. Jesus said of us, "It is your Father's good pleasure

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to give you the kingdom." One of the meanings of "the kingdom" is: the availability of all the ideas in Divine Mind. Since divine ideas are the producers of all good things, it would be correct to say that we are heirs to all good.

In essence, then, we can say that man is heir to all the ideas in Divine Mind, and to all the results of their good manifestations.

4. Instead of seeking primarily for "demonstrations" or for manifest results, what should be our primary objective?

4. By all means we should try to make our primary objective for all our efforts the building of greater consciousness of God and Truth. Jesus called this "seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness." The kingdom of God is the omnipresence of Himself and His good. His righteousness is Truth itself. To have as our primary objective the developing of a greater consciousness of this is truly to put first things first; all else will then come forth in divine order.

5. What is the purpose of meditation? On what should one's thoughts be centered in moments of meditation?

5. The purpose of meditation is to become more conscious of God and Truth. Another purpose of meditation is to become aware of and better acquainted with our own spiritual nature, which we know as the Christ, or the I AM, our indwelling Lord.

Ideally, during meditation one's thoughts should be centered on some divine idea, or on a combination of them. The idea of the reality of the presence of God is a very good one. Or perhaps some attribute of God would be a good thing to meditate on. Divine ideas of love, life, peace, plenty—these are all good meditation subjects.

6. Should one be too busy to take time for meditation and prayer? Is it necessary to "practice the presence of God"?

6. No, we should never feel that we are too busy to take time for meditation and prayer, for all our progress in life depends on what we gain through these periods. It is only in this way that we consciously contact God and build an awareness of divine ideas. If one desires to build a greater consciousness of God and Truth, then indeed he must "practice the presence of God." Practice makes perfect, and perfecting one's God thought is probably the most important business any human being can have in this life.

7. What is the Christ life? Explain meekness, love, and forgiveness, showing what part they play in the Christ life.

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7. By the words "Christ life" we are designating a life which has as its central core a firm belief in the reality of the Christ within. It is not so much a matter of imitating Jesus as it is simply believing with all sincerity that Christ is within and that Christ is very real.

Meekness is a quality which means basically willingness to be taught. It also has a strong connotation of not wishing to cause offense or harm. Love, of course, is a basic must for all spiritual endeavors. Forgiveness is really the only way man has to transform the negative into the positive, so that the two become one in Spirit and in Truth.

8. What is the result of our persistently seeking God in every situation? Is there any condition in which God cannot be found?

8. The result of our seeking God in every situation is that we shall always find Him. We find Him as understanding, love, guidance, healing, supply, or whatever good is right and best for each occasion.

There is no situation in which God cannot be found. God is Omnipresence: that is, everywhere equally present at all times. God is above and beyond all time, place, and circumstance. His presence fills all three, yet constantly transcends all three. As our Unity "Prayer for Protection" states it, "Wherever I am, God is.

9. Can man escape adversity by trying to run away from it?

9. All adversity is a type of manifestation resulting from our own states of consciousness. If we run away, we still take our states of consciousness with us. Similar manifestation will then occur. But in another sense, we must be careful about what we call "running away." Making certain changes in life may not be running away at all. People change jobs, move to more suitable living quarters, make changes in their relationships with others. We need not call this "running away."

It would seem that the only real "running away" would be the attempt to run away from one's own states of consciousness. This cannot be done. But desirable changes of states of consciousness can always be accomplished. Study of Truth and prayer are the most effective ways.

10. What attitude of mind leads to complete deliverance from adversity? Where is the victory first won?

10. The answer to the first part of this question depends on what we think of as "complete deliverance from adversity." If we mean that we become once and for all completely rid of all problems,

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Then the answer is still classified as an unknown factor. But if we mean that one can be completely delivered from this or that adversity, then we do have an answer: An attitude of sincere trust and dependence on the power and goodness of God will deliver any person from his current challenge.

All spiritual victory is won first in the individual soul. Outer events and circumstances proceed from states of consciousness first established in the soul.