A.R.E. Meeting for 3/29/21

Leader: Cindi
 
Experiment 1: Select and write down an aspect of your life in the material world in which you find yourself desiring an increase (e.g., more free time, more friends, more appreciation from others). Then consider the “current” conditions and write down the ways in which you are challenged to grow by those conditions.
Example:
desire: more appreciation from others
Challenges:

(1) to know within myself the things that I’m doing that are worthwhile
(2) to do things out of love and not for praise from others
Each day for the next week work with meeting the challenge offered by the current conditions. Record experiences in which you were able to grow with what you have right now.
 
Experiment 2: Select an area of your life in which you wish to experience greater faith. If you have not already set ideals for that part of your life, be sure to do this before continuing with the experiment. (1) Write an affirmation for your mind to use in daily life. This affirmation should express the nature of your ideals and be used whenever necessary each day to awaken the experience of faith. (2) Each day have a period of reverie and imagination concerning the application of these ideals. (3) Also be sure to have daily prayer and meditation period. This is a specific threefold experiment from the readings that links our understanding of ideals to our experience of faith. Record any meaningful experiences that arise from the application of this approach.

Uplifting vibrations of Love and Light, and healing energies were sent out to others, according a Cayce recommended way of meditating. So began a meeting of minds seeking Truth in Oneness, starting with the Lord’s Prayer, and closing the meditation and time of healing and blessings with the 23rd Psalm, a favorite of son, Hugh Lynn Cayce.

Books: ASFG Book I and Experiments in ASFG, keyed to A Search for God, Book l.

Ideal: Oneness

Action: Affirm Oneness with group members daily

 
A knowledgeable long time ASFG member gently reminded our group we are just “reporting the spiritual essence gleaned” from working the experiment.” In three sentences” is what no one else remembered of guidelines for “when it’s your turn to lead the group,” put out years ago, available to this writer as early as 1971. Speaking of only the “spiritual reality encountered experimentally,” in just three sentences guides us to the make point of what we learned, and aides us in clear, easily understood communications. Sort of like a speeding bullet to the listener’s ears and mind, with no distracting side roads and rabbit holes to get lost in.
 
Five told of their encounters with Faith during this past week. Most received dreams, some recalled and helpful, some dreams gone with the first thought upon awakening. Feelings of having failed to open and strengthen the Faith within can appear if one uses the text book ideal of Faith. We reminded ourselves, the Ideal is that we aspire to. No one moved a mountain or walked on water last night, but Faith teachings of The Master of Masters inspired confidence in a possibility of us doing it with Faith. Can we walk on water with only faith, or is knowledge of universal laws a factor, too? That answer may present itself later.
 
We finished reading our lesson on Faith. We read “Where Faith Abounds,” and read through to the end of the chapter in ASFG. We read the last two experiments above, discussed Faith, and which experiments we’d do.
 
In Loving Oneness,
Sylvia Raye

A.R.E. Meeting for 3/22/21

Leader: Cindi

Experiment 1: Choose and write down the name of one person with whom you frequently feel frustrated or irritated because you don’t think they behave in a way that would be best for their own growth. Each day for a week replace such thoughts and feelings of frustration or irritation with an affirmation that divine forces are active in the person’s life, God DOES care about that person, and He will guide him or her in the experiences which s/he needs. Make a record of situations in which you are able to experience this kind of faith in another person.

Experiment 2: Select a situation in your life in which you feel a need for greater faith to bridge the gulf between your conscious perspective and a deeper, more insightful awareness. Pray at night before retiring that you will have dream experiences which will strengthen your faith in this part of your life and lead to healing of any difficulty. Keep a record of any dreams you feel may one in response to this effort.

Group Ideal: Oneness

Action: Affirm daily our oneness with each other.

A discussion on why we have extended the meeting time started this meeting tonight. Our previous leader’s suggestion that we meet two hours as we had at the library was agreed upon by email over a month ago. A suggestion to socialize or discuss other than spiritual topics had been rejected by members when presented last year (and possibly again this year?) .

Our two hour meetings, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, have been adopted again recently because it allows us to follow our format: opening and closing with prayer, reporting on the experiment, 15 minutes group meditation, read our ASFG lesson, read in our “experiments book,” and choose an experiment. In other words, it’s working beautifully, smoothly, just as it did before Covid-19.

Our weekly unison meditation, and sending out the love, light and healing energy continues to be a significant part of our seeking-knowing spiritual group process, well appreciated, if not loved by all members.

In our experiments on faith, we saw results. We are starting to dream again with good recall. Vague comprehension of a dream was clarified with a second dream confirming, "yes, this is the guidance sought, the same information as in your first dream." When a company’s plan to proceed fell into chaos, a writer’s faith provided a serene confidence that his part of the intended project would still be fine. Consistent application of attending meetings, meditating on the affirmation, focusing on doing the experiment, brought a telling dream and a realization “This is all coming together”; and I’m being shown the brightness of my inner light.

Our reader read to us from the red book, two sections from our lesson on Faith, “Need of Faith” and “How Faith is developed.” Another read for us from our experiments book, the last part on page 47 through a second experiment on page 49. We agreed to pick one of them to do this week.

Members are also seeking greater understanding outside of group thru other books, “Mindset,” working with manifesting, “The Law of Attraction.” We were inspired and uplifted by a member sharing favorite quotes from an Arkansas minister, Rev. Charles Capps, first encountered on the authors’s 15 minute radio program. Of two books, validating Cayce’s familiar “thoughts are things” quote on thoughts creative nature, Rev. Capps’ “The Tongue’s Creative Power” was the one quoted from. It was mostly direct quotes from Proverbs (13:3), Job, Mark (11:13), and a favorite phrase coined by Rev. Capps himself, a paraphrase of a New Testament teaching of Jesus, “I have told my people they can have what they say, but they are saying what they have.”

However it is stated, and regardless of whoever says it; Cayce, Capps, Jesus, scripture, or student of spiritual truth, it is profound. And after listening to 6-8 inspiring ways to hear the spoken word is creative, our excellent meeting of five minds ended.

Sylvia Raye

A.R.E. Meeting for 3/15/21

Leader: Cindi
 
Experiment 1. As a step towards a deeper awareness of faith, try to awaken the consciousness that you are a timeless being—that all which you desire in spiritual unfoldment and fulfillment will come to you. If you have asked for something in His name and then find yourself doubting or impatient, use this affirmation in your daily life to reorient your mind to faith: “As a spiritual being, I am forever. All I have asked in his name will be fulfilled.” Record the situations in which you are able to use this affirmation in a helpful way.
 
Experiment 2: Be aware of instances each day in which you feel a sense of confidence (either some quality of your own, in some condition in the material world, or in some other person). Don’t deny the good feeling that may come with such a sense of confidence; instead, build upon it by affirming the source of this which is good in you or your life. Record each day those situations in which you are able to make known this recognition.
 
The Zoom meeting of seven seekers of knowledge of increased “Faith,” followed the opening meditation on God opening our hearts to Faith He/She implanted there, with each person sending prayers of healing energy or love and light to others.
 
Everyone reported on their experiment outcome of an experience of faith in God, others, or self. One sought guidance in developing ongoing personal growth thru a mindset discovered scientifically, another sought investment guidance for a trio thru prayer. Prayer based on concern for others yielded three, not just one sign that the prayer had been heard and the guidance was recognized that same day. Another used feelings of confidence as stepping stones to greater faith by purchasing several ideally priced items. They were unexpectedly encountered for sale from a personal wish list. The confidence felt was even without an income, that God is Source; and by buying those items now, money to pay for them is forthcoming. No one in the group lacked faith in Universal Forces or Spirit, all Truth students were working on greater faith in self, either to succeed, to heal self, or faith sufficient to trust another another in a personal relationship.
 
Using Cayce methods for healing was discussed briefly. The benefits of castor oil packs, not just over the liver or over the left side to cleanse the lymph glands as Cayce famously recommended time and time again, but also the successful elimination of pain observed after using a castor oil pack on a knee. We were shown two Radiac devices, one from an official provider for Cayce’s suggested herbs and tools, and another also on the market. Discussion included an explanation that with 4 weeks of use of the Radiac with positive and negative charge alternated every day to the opposite side of the body, users saw and felt positive results of this energy balancing by Radiac use.
 
We read and discussed the two experiments above, and read thru the 2nd experiment on page 47.
 
In Loving Oneness,
Sylvia Raye. 

A.R.E. Meeting for 3/8/21

Leader: Cindi

Experiment: Choose one thing in which you wish to experience greater faith (e.g. faith in God, faith in your own divine nature, faith in another specific person). First consider where your rational, intellectual mind has taken you in this desire. Perhaps you will find that this part of the mind has led you to a paradox or confusion; perhaps you will find that it has provided all the right answers and yet an inner experience of faith is missing. Write down whatever it is your intellect tells you about this concern. Now allow yourself to move beyond just the intellect. Each day for a week be open for an experience of faith in this part of your life. Pray that you will be given whatever experience is best for you at this time. Listen to the promptings of your intuitive mind through your meditations, through your dreams, and by listening to and feeling your intuitive self in your daily activities. Record any of your experiences that may give you a deeper sense of what it means to live your faith in this specific area of my life.

Group Ideal: Oneness
Action: Affirm daily our oneness with group members.
Books: A Search For God, Book one and accompanying experiments book. 

Six prayerful searchers gathered for our weekly connection, this time to study faith. Our Leader, Cindi, opened with an inspirational poem written by Karen Kininger, “A Poem to God.” We prayed, meditated, sent out love, light, and healing energy. We reported on our ideals. Depth of thought and work in setting our Spiritual Ideal was excellent. One even presented experiment results in neatly typed columns with easy to read screen sharing format (by no means required). We discussed what faith is and what it is not. We answered the questions in further discussion, e.g., can faith be taught? Or is it a spiritual gift? We read the first section of our ASFG book, lesson IV, “What is Faith?”
 
Then we read the first page on Faith in our experiments book. It explained that our mind provides good reasons why we should have faith and a definition of faith, and still have doubt and a feeling of emptiness. Cayce confirmed that keeping the faith mentally could enable it to grow. (920-11) But he further advised to letting ” ...the faith in the divine in self ever respond to that known innately within self.” And for “...the greater, the farther, the deeper, the broader, the more constructive results (are created ) ... when one has been impelled more and more by reliance upon the soul force within, the intuitive.” (972-2)
 
This week our challenge is doing an experiment in an area of life where greater faith is desired. Until next week.
 
In Loving oneness,
Sylvia Raye

A.R.E. Meeting for 3/1/21

Leader: Cindi

Experiment(s): Choose one of the last three from the Ideals chapter of the Experiments book or this one from the Step-by-Step book:

3. Worksheet for setting ideals:

A. Divide a blank sheet into three columns. Label the first column "Spiritual Ideals," the second column "Mental Ideals," and the third column "Physical Ideals.''

B. Write in the first column your highest spiritual ideal--the word or words that describe what you perceive to be the highest attainment--a standard of perfection which you want to use to measure your actions.

C. In the second column, under "Mental Ideals," write those mental attitudes which you feel accurately reflect the word you've written in the Spiritual column. For example, if you wrote "Love" in the Spiritual column, you might want to use words like "acceptance" or "kindness" or "forgiveness" in the Mental column.

D. Finally, in the last column marked "Physical Ideals," list those physical activities which would express the spiritual and mental ideals you've just listed. For example, if you've written "forgiveness" as a mental ideal, you might list an activity such as: "Say a friendly word to (person's name) who insulted me yesterday."

E. Use this as a worksheet during the week to further identify and refine your ideals. Once they are set, test them by measuring your activities. Notice the moments when you are successful in living your ideals as well as those that could be improved.

The “Step by Step” book for the Ideal’s chapter suggests using two columns on a page, writing several goals to accomplish in life in the first column. The second column is for writing why I want to accomplish this goal. Then secondly, below the “whys”, list several Ideals by which you will accomplish your life goals.

The next part gives directions on identifying an Ideal, then further defining it in three dimensions, in three columns on the same page, Spiritual Ideal, Mental Ideal, Physical Ideal. Refer to the actual Step-by-Step experiment on page 19 for clarification of a spiritual ideal, examples of mental attitudes for your higher degree of growth toward your Spiritual Ideal, and thirdly, physical actions to take for your spiritual Ideal.

Our well prepared leader opened our Sacred Space with a poem on Ideals, a reading of Cayce asking “What is my Ideal,” and our Lord’s Prayer before our group meditation. One member didn’t feel well and stayed for a shorter time, but all members were able to attend.

One seeker’s experiment was hindered somewhat by very limited interactions by Covid-19 infection control, and not seeing anyone most days. Another serious student shared a view of one of her angels with us Zoom viewers, quoted from her “Angel book,” a profound truth describing the importance of having an Ideal to lead and guide our lives: Fail to plan; plan to fail.

 She followed this with a Service Angels Ideals, Spiritual, Mental, Physical, so beautifully thought out and written. Then she read to us the ideals she had choosen for herself this week. She’s already completed the 3-column worksheet described in the “Step By Step” book a week early. 

Two others reported their results doing the second experiment, of asking daily what qualities make up the highest awareness I would like to have directing my life? At the end of the week, in the silence condense all these listed qualities into one phrase or word to come up with your personal ideal.

We reviewed and discussed the Ideals chapter in the A Search For God, Book One, after reading it entirely again in a few minutes. It’s the shortest chapter in both the A Search for God books, but it is also among the most important lessons for a life long guide and focus for a well lived, purpose filled life.

Group Ideal: Oneness
Application of Ideal: Affirm daily my oneness with each group member

In Loving Oneness,

Sylvia Raye