by Rev. Marla Sanderson
Imagine what life would be like if we all stopped thinking everything “happens to us” and recognized our dominion over circumstances. According to New Thought and the Science of Mind, the creative process is simple:
Consciousness Creates—It is done unto you as you believe.
This means that no matter what happens in your physical body or what conditions and circumstances surround you, it’s a good idea to look to your mind to find the cause of it all.
Consciousness Creates
Consciousness is your state of mind—your overall mental makeup. Most of it has been “programmed” into you as a collection of beliefs, thoughts, ideas, and opinions absorbed throughout your lifetime.
Add to that a tendency to be positive or negative, and you can see how consciousness affects everything you see and everything you do.
Consciousness creates in either a limited or expanded way. As we grow, we find new ways to think and to observe the world around us. Add some spirituality and wisdom, and we find more peace, happiness, health, and prosperity. A limiting consciousness sees problems. An expanding one sees solutions.
It Is Done Unto You As You Believe
People hate to have their beliefs challenged. It’s as though they’re sacred just because they exist. But, like opinions, they’re only thoughts we’ve become attached to.
Whether your beliefs are right or wrong, they are the “autopilot” that maintains the status quo of your life. They constantly limit, level, and make sure you don’t venture outside of their limits.
Some beliefs empower. Some undermine. While it would be nice to simply toss out those that undermine, you don’t usually know what they are, even though they are always at work in your life.
How does all this affect your physical body?
Do you believe you’ll inherit the diseases of your ancestors?
Do you believe a candy bar is bad for you?
Do you believe food is dangerous or that your body is “overly sensitive” to certain foods?
What do you believe about getting older?
Do you feel guilt about the things you eat? Or the lifestyle you live?
What about guilt around physical exercise?
Do you believe the earth is a dangerous place to live?
If you believe most of what you hear, you’ve probably acquired many of the above beliefs. Fear and guilt are not healthy motivators.
Obviously, you don’t want to eat poison or jump in front of a bus to confront your beliefs. That would be foolish, and we’re talking about operating from wisdom. I think we’d agree that it’s healthier to go for a walk than to lie in bed with a bag of potato chips.
Have you had friends or relatives who “ate healthy” and exercised regularly, but contracted some terrible disease? Or someone who “did it all wrong,” but lived to be over 100? I have.
When we put this consciousness thing into practice, we discover it’s even more important to clean up our thoughts and beliefs than to “clean up our act.” Since most of our bad choices and habits come from faulty beliefs, cleaning up our consciousness will prompt us to make more healthy choices than fear or guilt ever will.
Consciousness creates—not the other way around. Be careful what you think. Be careful what you believe.
Rev. Marla Sanderson has been a student of spiritual practice for more than 35 years. She began as Assistant Director of The Next Step, a psychic and spiritual community in a New Mexico ghost town. She’s been a workshop leader, teacher, practitioner, and minister of Living Love, and the Science of Mind. She recently founded the New Thought Global Network, a virtual “church” that offers inspiration anytime, from anywhere. The site showcases many powerful Science of Mind and New Thought speakers and writers, and intends to expand these teachings to the world. Check it out at www.newthoughtglobal.org.