The Kingdom of Perfection

When we are illuminated by the Spirit, we stand in speechless wonder at the glory within and about us. Our burden of fear, doubt, anxiety and dismay quite suddenly completely vanishes. Now we are conscious only of the presence of a soft, ineffably sweet and altogether satisfying peace and contentment; a deep calm and absolute rest.

In this lighted and exalted state of being, we feel as though we were at that instant experiencing the effect of those authoritative majestic words: “Peace be still.” Instantly the inner surge of fear and worry, of inefficiency and helplessness ceases. We have no feeling of having been moved out of the way of the storm, nor of being transported to some other realm or place. We are quite aware of the same self, the same body, the same being, – but now the storm has ceased, the sun is at its height; indeed, the world is crammed full of glory, while the heart sings and soars; and all the while we are resting in the “everlasting arms” of Life triumphant. With the burst of sunshine through the storm-clouds, we know and feel, all is well, all is heavenly glory and wonder; all is harmony and completeness, all is perfection everywhere.

When one experiences this enveloping of the light, this comforting and exhilarating state of poise and stillness, of rapture and peace, he knows within himself, Behold, it is finished; I am come, the living Christ, the Life triumphant.

“The place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” The world wherein we are living is really the Kingdom of Heaven. The body which we are motivating is actually the body of light and harmony. The being which we call “me” is verily the Life and the Truth. Oh, it is a glorious world, this world which we see as Heaven, and this body which we know as “the temple of the living God;” and the consciousness of life triumphant is surely a state beyond verbal description. Here in the exalted state of being, we are aware only of feeling; we know and accept through feeling only; for such feeling includes knowing. It is all-satisfying, and leaves nothing to be desired. It is a full and complete experience. It is the effortless action and laborless motion of the one Life-Mind-Being-God.

Here in this state of Reality there is no sense of independence nor of dependence; of striving to know nor to be still. Here there is no sense of labor whatsoever. We simply enjoy what is taking place, we enter into the experience of that which is prepared for us. We do not think statements of Truth, indeed we are not conscious of any effort to think at all, we are conscious only of accepting, of receiving and entering into the one Mind-Life-God.

You ask, Oh, how can I bring about such an experience in my own life and in myself? How may I leave this experience of misery and turmoil, of lack and limitation, struggle and strife? Very often after we have experienced this exalted state of being, we are unable to discover what brought it about, for quite suddenly and unexpectedly we walked, as it were, in another world, we partook of another life – and enjoyed a higher freedom. In meditating upon it afterward, we do not recall opening any certain door to this view of the Super-world, of doing anything in particular which released the light, nor of walking in any certain direction which terminated in this glorious Heaven. Yes, it is often this way, that when we look back to discover just what took place, and where the change began, we are unable to find the precise spot, or discover just how the great event happened. It was as if while walking along a dusty, rutty road framed with briars and weeds, we suddenly found ourselves resting in soft “green pastures,” and by “the still waters” of refreshment, beauty and peace! Wiped out of our consciousness were all thoughts of imperfection of any kind. We had no memories of past failures nor present difficulties. We knew only the blessed joy and sweet security of the moment. Now, such a state of consciousness may remain for moments, hours, and even for days and weeks at a time. And it is never possible for one to ever completely forget it.

But to return to the question of how to consciously bring about this exalted state. Desire must, no doubt, precede it. Our desire may be for a way out, or for light and revelation, or even for surcease from sorrow, suffering or despair. “Ask,” said Jesus, “knock.” On another occasion he said, “Open the door, and I will come in.” He gave other commands too, such as,. “Be Ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.” Our attainment or fulfillment of this command simply means our coming into recognition and acceptance of the fact that Perfection could never be imperfection: it could never be anything less than perfection every instant and in every place. Thus the Kingdom which is “prepared,” and “at hand,” must be The Kingdom of Perfection. Here one is not to work to attain, but is asked only to accept and receive, – and to think, feel and see Perfection as his own Being.

This Kingdom which is prepared and at hand, is not a place consciousness and body? Have you not had the exalted experience of directing your attention from imperfect body to perfect Reality thereby concurrently to express harmony and ease? This shows how a state of consciousness when turned from appearances and false beliefs to the true facts and real state of Life, simultaneously expresses itself in bodily form. The body is consciousness and nothing else, verily, the body of consciousness. Now this does not mean that our bodies are conscious, for they are not. Our bodies are the reflected or expressed state of our consciousness, and so if our understanding is that we are Life, Soul, Principle, and, as such, are as fixed, certain and unchangeable as mathematics, then we will express this consciousness in a well, strong, active and healthy body.

How could we ever hope to express an impalpable body of light, as Jesus portrayed on the mount, while we entertain the belief that it is material and subject to sickness and death? Or how could we ever expect to do away with a form of age and limitation, and with feelings of physical discord and sickness, while we accept the idea that we have a body which is controlled by a so-called “mortal mind?” “Be ye therefore perfect” in your thought of your body! Accept your body to be one with your life, and so spiritual, perfect and complete, even as in your life itself; not one with a human mind but one with you, the divine Mind and Truth. Separating one’s body from one’s self, that is, considering the body matter and the self Spirit, is the very belief which culminates in the experience called death. No one would believe that a spiritual body could die! Surely so long as it is accepted that a human mind controls a human body, and that the body we now manifest is not spiritual but material, so long will death be apparent; for what is the end of materiality but self-destruction and annihilation? What a change would appear in this world if different ideas were entertained about the body! In order that it be transparent, weightless and radiant as the light, we must become consciously aware that such a body is the only one there really is; and we must be willing to give up our belief in any other. We have heard it said that “What thou seest that thou be-est.” Theoretically this is so, and one does experience what he believes; but exceeding this, what you are, you are, regardless of any position you may assume. To comprehend this transcending fact will help release you from human bondage. “Abide in Me and if ye abide in Me, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Here is a definite, impressive promise from on High. In proportion as we abide in the awareness that the Truth includes both our soul and our body, we shall be standing on the rock of Gibraltar which no wind or wave of circumstances can move. Here, although the storms may come and dash upon us, we shall be as that “house” about which it is written: “And it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” The greatest fact we can learn is the knowledge that we are the Truth; and as we truly come into the positive and luminous awareness of this eternal Fact, the lesser views of relationship will completely and effortlessly fade away. One could think of no greater art than to speak as the Truth, to speak authoritatively.