[QUOTE=The_Eye_Am;279173]For this Lenten season, my goal is to 'give up' negative thinking - be it about myself or others - and in its place see the Truth about each person in my life.  I have found that New Thought teachings take everything that I practiced/learned  in my life-long faith development on a deep, spiritual level, and I grow and unfold through the teachings.   For this, I am grateful.
~Lori[/QUOTE]

I think tradition can be very helpful for us as long as we do not become attached to the form it takes.  I've seen many people simply, "go through the motions", without ever experiencing it's true inner value.  But when we go THROUGH the form and beyond, we start to see things in a different light.  As one of my spiritual teachers used to point out, "Religions are like a finger pointing to the beauty of the moon".

This Lenten season my goal is to begin releasing from my consciousness a tendancy toward "excitability" and negative criticism toward others:

"My Mind is calm, cool and collected.  I respond only in the positive to all people and conditions entering my life."

Does this mean I can't watch the news anymore? :(

Zedd

This morning I was reading my  Unity booklet for Lent "Your Higher Calling: Spiritual Preparation for Easter 2008." Today's message was "Let go of the questions of your heart the whys, the what ifs, and the hows. Let go of the urge to analyze and ponder. Release any worry." This reminded of how Sundays used to be a day of rest years ago. Stores weren't open etc. So I decided that on Sundays I would just focus on my spiritual growth and not on every day problems. For example I need some work done on my house. Normally I would think about who I need to call, what needs to be done, how expensive it's going to be. I would make lists, write phone # down etc. Today I decided I would not do that. Whatever free time I had I would use it to practice the Presence of God. I'm going to try to practice that each Sunday. That will be my day of rest. Mental Rest. Phyl

Phillyz,

How wise it is of you to set aside a day to devote to your personal/spiritual growth!  Your comments on Sunday have me thinking on what it truly means to "remember the sabbath and keep it holy."  Also, Jesus said, "the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath."  No where in the bible do we find a specific day of the week to be established as the sabbath.  It was the individual churches which established the days.  To me, the true sabbath is when we fully rest, abide and trust in the healing, energizing, life affirming power of Spirit.  We can choose to live in a perpetual sabbath if we desire.

Peace and blessings,
Lori