We align ourselves to awaken to our oneness, knowing that spirit is our source and it keeps us in that divine good, supplying all that we require. As we share the joy and let our light shine, we know that we are uplifting the wisdom and love from our inner selves and sending it out into the world. This is the law of circulation, and it's always operating because it's part of the universal spirit of life. As part of all that the true gifts of Christmas is that giving and receiving of our spiritual wisdom of those enduring values, the transformation that occurs along the unfoldment of our individual spiritual paths. This comes with the realization of what and who we really are and why we are here today. In the Christmas story, where the Magi see the star, that's right before the gifts come in. That star is that spiritual aspiration that we're all searching for on our journeys. I don't think I'm the only one searching. I think every being on this planet is searching for that spiritual unfoldment of good, because we spend so much time surrounded in the chaotic thoughts and darkness that we know that there's a different way. There's a better way of being and of living. We're just not quite sure how to get there.
The Magi follow this star, which is really about leading us to that indwelling Christ Consciousness and the power we receive through our own realization of the connectedness of oneness. It's through that oneness with God and all creation, God, spirit, mother, father, Holy spirit, Allah, that connection, that's where the transformation takes place. We have this star rising in the East and we all know that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Correct. That is life giving light, the primordial light of our inner spiritual realm. That's important, if you don't get anything else. That rising of light, that rising of wisdom and spiritual knowledge is what saves us. If anything saves us, we actually save ourselves through transformation and growth, releasing the fear, putting that next step forward. Even when we're afraid, when we're scared, when we don't understand why. "Why is there so much chaos? Why is there so much darkness today? Why are there so many unrealistic expectations in life? What is that all about?"
That's where we are today, we're in the light. We affirmed that the light of God reveals our potential. So why don't you affirm that with me? "The light of God reveals my potential." Your potential from yesterday may not be the potential for today or for tomorrow. It's not your potential from yesterday. It was that it brought you to this moment today. Today's potential will lead you to tomorrow's bliss. So again, let us affirm together. "The light of God reveals my potential." That is our gift. That is what we're here to share, whatever it looks like for you. Some people have a beautiful voice. Some people are very talented at playing the piano, orchestrating music, technology, whatever it is that you're here in this moment to do, be real about it. Acknowledge and realize the gift of the moment because none of us know knows when this life for us in this physical presence is done.
Jesus didn't know when he was born that there was going to be this horrific death and resurrection. Even though prophecy said it, he hadn't realized it yet. None of us know, but we do know that we are here to make a difference. We are here to grow on our own individual path and to grow collectively in consciousness for humanity. As the wisemen arrived at the manger, they gave a gift of gold. They gave a gift of frankincense and a gift of myrrh. These are inner resources that open to the Christ Child, and to you, and to me - if we're willing to use them. We have to be willing and open and ready to use our gifts, whatever they are.
The gift of gold and humanity symbolizes that enduring wealth of humanity. Everybody wants to go, sometimes, almost to the point of greed. We can't hang on to it. We can't hang on to the materialistic world. We have to let it flow in and out. If we try to hoard it, then we are stifling our own process and growth. We don't have any space to take in anything new if we are living in that state of not enough, be it physical manifestation of things, our emotional state being not enough, our thought process about our own self worth, whatever that looks like.
There are many wars fought over this false gold. We have to move from that carnal consciousness of darkness into the inner light, that spiritual consciousness of wisdom.
Charles Fillmore, co-founder of Unity, said gold represents our true spiritual gifts, the riches of spirit and the consciousness of the omnipresent riches of substance, that spiritual wisdom, the inner voice of God that leads us each and every moment through each and every decision of our life. It's that knowing, that feeling you get when you know what to do. Sometimes you follow it and sometimes you don't. If I don't, then what usually happens or what's happened in my life, is that okay? I'm going to get redirected really fast or slow. If it's slow, it's a long agonizing process, a process of agony for me. If it comes really fast, some people call it a cosmic two-by-four. It's not a happy place to be, but we do have to be redirected on our path. We do have to make a different choice. That choice is to move into that higher expression of ourselves, that higher expression of being. That's what spiritual wisdom is all about. It is what oneness is. That is what love is. Love is the highest vibration in the universe. Fear is on the opposite end of the spectrum. We want to live from that higher perspective.
Today, I want us to affirm again for spiritual wisdom. The affirmation is: "Spiritual wisdom guides me to express my higher self." Can you affirm that with me together? "Spiritual wisdom guides me to express my higher self."
That is our goal. That is why we're here, to be that higher self, because the higher self tends to find compassion and understanding for those who may not be in that higher consciousness yet. We know that we love everyone no matter who they are on this journey. We might not like what they do. We might not like what they say. We love them anyway because that is why we're here - to radiate that center of love throughout all humanity. That's a gift.
One of the other gifts is frankincense, which we all know is a resin from a tree. I don't know if you know this, but it's not native to Palestine or Persia where the Magi came from. It's important. It's also extremely valuable and expensive and the only instance it was burned that we know of was on the temple altar of Jerusalem. The burning of incense releases the energy from that solid form to that vapor or smoke. What that represents is that transmutation from a slower consciousness and what sometimes in Unity, we call that Adam consciousness, that carnal consciousness to that higher vibration of consciousness. So we're moving from that lower state of being into that higher state of being. We're doing it in the presence and through the power of spirit and silent prayer, we are communing with spirit whose inner voice changes our perspective, our outlook on our truth and who we are and on the world outside of us. So as we come into that state of holiness, with the presence of spirit, through that transformation of the burning of the frankincense, we let go of some of that materialistic egocentric thinking and focus on spiritual concerns, the Holiest of the holy.
That's who we are. Not all of us remember that. Some of us remember it and we push it away, but we are the voice of spirit. We are the hands and feet and expression. At this time of year, the rebirth, think of what, how the world could be if we all joined together from that higher state as love.
The third gift, myrrh, which is also a tree resin used in men's perfume, or in embalming fluid back in the ancient times, it's a symbol for attracting love, peace, and bliss. Because it's associated as a perfume, that love is very powerful. It's a very powerful symbol. Even the use of it as an embalming process symbolizes that eternal love from spirit. We are never alone in any of this.
Just as in the Christmas story, we remember that Christ is the eternal image of God, of spirit. Even through the challenges of life, as our way-shower showed us through his own challenges of a crucifixion, there is a resurrection of new life and that new life comes in as we give and receive love. So today, as we affirm one more time, let us affirm together "Through the Christ in me, I am an expression of divine love. I give and receive love together through the Christ in me, I am an expression of Divine Love. I give and receive love."
Spiritual wisdom allows us to continue the search, to follow the star. With spiritual wisdom, we can recognize the enduring values like the gold or the transformative power of the frankincense and the internal attraction of the myrrh is the powerful attributes of the Christ, that Christ that is within you, that carries you to your higher self. The carries me to my higher self. We each have these attributes. We each have these gifts. When we use them wisely, the opportunities are endless for humanity and for ourselves.
Spiritual wisdom can alert us to that potential danger, ego, egocentric thoughts when we get that gut feeling or we get that dream that wakes us up and says, "Whoa, wait a minute. Let's return to that." That state of peacefulness allows that wisdom to bring us back to that spiritual consciousness, that higher self. Each of us walks on this spiritual journey called life. No matter when or where you begin on this journey to follow spirit, commit to your own growth, your own transformation change happens as change happens. Remember to rest along the way, because that allows for new thoughts and new actions to unfold. We continued to rise our consciousness and be the examples for others to raise theirs, because we're all on this journey looking and searching for that love, for that peace, for bliss. As you continue this journey, I love you. I bless you. I behold the living presence of the Christ in and through you.
So it is Namaste.
